"Photographic Views of the Wall" at the Brandenburg Gate

At the Brandenburg Gate, eyewitnesses share insights into their personal memories—from the first days of the Wall’s construction to the opening of the border in November 1989.

Their accounts offer diverse perspectives on the division of Germany: from a child’s perspective and journalistic observations to experiences of repression in the GDR and stories of escape. These memories make it clear that while the Berlin Wall served a clear political function, it held different meanings for people and shaped their lives in many ways.

Christine Bartels, born in 1955, moved into an apartment on Brunnenstraße at the age of 22—right on the border with West Berlin. From the windows of her apartment, Christine Bartels could look out onto the border strip. She secretly took photos. Her daily life in the border area was marked by numerous checks and restrictions. Nevertheless, she became involved in the independent peace and environmental movements. When Christine Bartels received permission in 1984 to travel to West Berlin for her aunt’s 65th birthday, she also visited Bernauer Straße there to look at her house in East Berlin from a viewing platform.

Mahmoud Dabdoub, born in 1958, came to the GDR from Lebanon in 1981 and studied photography at the Academy of Visual Arts in Leipzig. His photographs were shown in exhibitions beginning in his first year of study. In 1988, he also presented his graduation exhibition in Cologne. As a foreign student, he was able to cross the GDR border into the West. During a visit to West Berlin, he photographed the Berlin Wall.

This event is part of the special program marking the 65th anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall.

Funded by the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the LOTTO Foundation Berlin

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