The Anna-Seghers-Museum

"Seghers-Radvanyi" is written on the front door - the nameplate points the way to the former flat and poet's workshop of the writer Anna Seghers in Adlershof. Entering the flat takes you back in time to the 1950s, when the writer lived here with her husband and daughter.
Anna Seghers is best known for her novels The Seventh Cross and Transit, which are among the most important works of the time. She wrote a total of nine major novels, numerous short stories and essays.

Anna Seghers' flat

anna Seghers moved into the flat in 1955 after returning to Berlin from exile in 1947. As a Jew and communist, she was subjected to persecution by the National Socialists. Her books were thrown into fires during the book burning. Anna Seghers fled to France via Switzerland in 1933. She later went into exile in Mexico. After her return from exile, she lived in the flat until her death in 1983, even when she was President of the Writers' Association of the GDR and could have afforded a larger and more prestigious flat.
Anna Seghers particularly loved the balcony of her flat, which she called her mast basket. Here she liked to write with a view of the trees, as she felt like she was on a ship.

The museum

Since her death, the Akademie der Künste has managed the flat as a memorial, and since 2018 as a museum.
The flat and all its furnishings have been preserved. It is simply furnished with lots of warm wood and souvenirs from Mexico. It looks as if Anna Seghers had only left for a short time. Her desk with the typewriter and glasses bear witness to her poetic work. The library contains 10,000 volumes.
A small exhibition displays first editions of her books, photos and letters. Anna Seghers' voice can be heard on a sound recording. Readings are also held in the flat, which is given a special atmosphere by the private setting.

Good to know

• Visits to the museum are only possible with a guided tour. Guided tours take place on the hour.
• School groups of more than eight people are divided into different guided tours.
• If possible, please register for a guided tour by e-mail at annaseghersmuseum@adk.de.

Opening hours