Anti-Kriegs-Museum

Description

In the Berlin district of Mitte, the Anti-Kriegs-Museum assumed an early and distinctly pacifist role among memorial and educational institutions addressing the subject of war; it was founded in 1925 by Ernst Friedrich.

Today the museum is located at Brüsseler Straße 21 in the Wedding quarter. Its origins, however, go back to an exhibition space at Parochialstraße 29 in Berlin-Mitte, not far from Alexanderplatz. There the institution already displayed objects from the First World War as well as artworks by Käthe Kollwitz and Otto Dix. Kollwitz also illustrated publications by the founder. Photographs of wounded soldiers were collected, shown publicly and published in the two-part work "Krieg dem Kriege", the proceeds of which significantly helped finance the museum. The early presentation also addressed the practice of children playing with toy soldier figures.

After looting and destruction by the National Socialists in March 1933, the founder reopened the museum in Brussels in 1936; there it was completely lost in 1940 with the German occupation. The original Berlin building was renamed during the Nazi era and used as an SA meeting place until its demolition in 1936. The museum was re-established in Berlin on 2 May 1982; after a temporary location in Kreuzberg it moved to its present premises in October 1984. Since 1 October 2005 the sculpture "Das Gewehr zerbrechen" (artist: Antonio Monitillo) has stood in front of the building on Lütticher Straße.

The permanent exhibition documents the horrors of past world wars, the history of pacifist actions and current armed conflicts. Part of the display is a faithfully reconstructed air-raid shelter. The programme is complemented by temporary exhibitions on specialised themes and a Peace Gallery with artworks opposing war.