Skateboarders before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall

The exhibition “Skateboarders & Rollerboarders Before and After the Fall of the Wall” features images by “Stern” photographer Harald Schmitt as well as scene photographers Thomas Kalak and Helge Tscharn. It is further enriched by numerous photographs and objects from both East and West.

Helge Tscharn has been photographing the scene across Europe and, since 1982, for “Monster Skateboard Magazine.” Thomas Kalak is a co-founder of the magazine and was a professional skater in the early 1980s. Their images show how skaters conquer cities and use them in new ways: monuments, vacant buildings, and historic landmarks thus become the stage for their tricks. Harald Schmitt photographs young skaters in East Berlin for “Stern.”

Skateboards from East and West highlight the similarities and differences between the scenes: The West German company “Geist” was already producing skateboards in the 1960s—long before they became a common sight on the streets of West Germany. In the GDR, the state-owned enterprise (VEB) Schokoladenverarbeitungsmaschinen Wernigerode began manufacturing the first skateboard, the “Germina Speeder,” in 1985. It proved impractical and too expensive for GDR skaters.

Sought-after clothing, homemade skateboards, and items from the 1988 “Euroskate” international competition behind the Iron Curtain in Prague paint a diverse picture of skateboarders on both sides of the Wall.

A wall covered in skateboards vividly illustrates the creativity of the scene. Photos of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and skateparks as social gathering spots offer a glimpse into the scene today.