Babelsberg Palace: Stories of time

Since the interiors have not yet been renovated, a small presentation offers insights into three special thematic areas – with rarely or never-before-seen objects:


Traces from afar: Two shell halves, fished from the German sailing ship Minna in the Sulu Sea in the 1870s, as well as busts of Bismarck and Wilhelm I, tell of a largely unknown episode of Prussian-German foreign and colonial policy in what is now the Philippines.


Traces of Art Protection: During World War II, Babelsberg Palace, with its Flatow Tower and kitchen building, served as the largest storage facility for the Prussian Palace Administration. Many works of art stored there – such as Frederick the Great's writing desk – were brought to the Soviet Union after the war. Some returned in 1958, others were lost forever. A wooden box from 1958 and destroyed sculpture fragments recall this period.


Traces after 1945: After the end of the war, the palace was used by, among others, the People's Judges' School and the Academy of Film Art. Renovations such as a false ceiling in the dining room permanently altered the historic rooms. Photos and signs document this use until 1990.


Curator Dr. Silke Kiesant leads a tour of the unrenovated rooms, talks about the palace's history and its former residents, and invites discussion:

What personal memories or wishes do visitors associate with Babelsberg? These perspectives will be incorporated into future exhibition concepts.


(IN GERMAN)