Eberswalde celebrates 35 years of unity: Exhibition on reunification opens!

Eberswalde celebrates 35 years of unity: Exhibition on reunification opens!

The exhibition “35 Years of German Unity – Peaceful Revolution and Democratic Change in Eberswalde” will open in Eberswalde on September 23, 2025. From 6:30 p.m., visitors are invited to experience this special event in the SparkassenForum at Michaelisstrasse 1. The exhibition not only honors German reunification, but also sets a clear focus on the developments in Eberswalde during the reunification period.

How did the people in Eberswalde experience the change? What transformations have taken place in the city and its appearance? These questions are illuminated in the photographs in the exhibition, which come from the artists Andreas Mross, Karen Oehler, Thomas Burckhardt, Jens Gericke, Günter Rinnhofer and Klaus-Dieter Rühs. The images from the period of political and social upheaval in the late 1980s and early 1990s are supplemented by explanatory information texts that establish the local connection to the peaceful revolution and German unity.

Opening with a visit from politics

Eberswalde's mayor Götz Herrmann will welcome guests at the opening of the exhibition. The former pastor Matthias Gürtler will give a laudatory speech, while the musical accompaniment will be provided by Gudrun Anders and Borries Schlüter. The timing of the exhibition is also noteworthy, as it opens its doors shortly before German Unity Day to commemorate the peaceful revolution of 1989 and the subsequent reunification in 1990.

The exhibition can be viewed daily during SparkassenForum opening hours until November 27, 2025, and admission is free. This opportunity to engage with recent German history and understand local experiences during the time of reunification is an offer that should not be missed.

A look at history

Interest in German unity and the peaceful revolution has not diminished in recent years. The Federal Agency for Civic Education reports that numerous books have been published that deal with the system change in Germany and the role of the political opposition in the GDR. Works such as “System Change in Germany” by Eckhard Jesse analyze the developments from dictatorship to democracy and the central reasons for the upheavals in the 20th century. Four striking political system changes are identified: from the Wilhelmine Empire to the Weimar Republic, from the Weimar Republic to the “Third Reich”, from the “Third Reich” to the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR and finally the transition from the GDR to the Federal Republic of Germany.

Another point that is often highlighted in research is the role of the political opposition in 1989. This was instrumental in questioning the social conditions in the GDR and initiating changes. Such topics will also be dealt with in the upcoming exhibition and provide insights into the diverse experiences and positions of the protagonists at the time.

The exhibition in Eberswalde not only presents historical photographs, but is also a space for discussions, memories and reflections on German unity. Citizens are invited to reflect on their own history and the changes that have taken place since then. At a time when the theme of unity and participation is particularly relevant, the establishment of the Small Gallery offers the city the opportunity to take a place in the memory and memory of its citizens.