Starting Monday, August 5, until Thursday, August 29, 2024, the inner courtyard of the former headquarters of the Ministry for State Security in Berlin-Lichtenberg will once again serve as the historic back-drop for Campus-Kino: four weeks with films about East Germany’s past, the dealings of the „state security“ and how people lived under it. Films filled with stories about adaptation and rebellion, betrayal and allegiance and also how to deal with the aftermath of repression in the united Germany.
The program offers documentaries on Tuesdays and feature films on Thursdays and on Saturdays, the film selection is intended to encourage intergenerational dialogue.
All films were produced after 1989. They focus on the repressive tactics and inner workings of the Stasi, on its victims and the events of the Peaceful Revolution of 1989/90 as well as coming to terms with the dictatorship. At the historical location, in front of Stasi Minister Mielke's former offices, this cinematic encounter with the past provokes a particularly vivid recollection and conversation on individual memories and understanding of the past.
The evenings start with short films or a presentation of documents from the Stasi Records Archive. After the film screenings, there will be opportunity to talk with filmmakers, experts and witnesses.
If you want to make your evening a more in-depth visit, there are also supporting programs with exhibitions, guided tours on the topic of the evening and a film-and-workshop-program for children (on Saturdays). Detailed information can be found on the respective event page.
The majority of the films will be offered with english subtitles!
About the location
What began as a place of repression is now a "Campus for democracy": The former headquarters of the Ministry for State Security once housed thousands of employees of the secret police tasked with helping to secure the power of the SED-dictatorship. Today it is a place where these injustices of the past are addressed and connected to discussions about contemporary conflicts and values of society.
More information
Admission is free. Registration is not required.
Supporting program
More information soon, please check back regularly!
The visitor center of the Stasi headquarters. Campus for Democracy is situated in "House 22". It is open daily from 10:00 - 18:00. There you can find information about the historic site and its museums as well as audio guides for the open-air exhibition "Revolution and the Fall of the Wall".
The permanent exhibition on the Stasi Records Archive, "Access to secrecy“, is open for free in "House 7".
The Stasi Museum with the originally preserved offices of the leadership of the Stasi around Minister Erich Mielke in "House 1" is also open from 10:00 to 18.00. For ticket information, please visit www.stasimuseum.de.
A cooperation of The Federal Archives, Stasi Records Archive with the Berlin Commissioner for the Reappraisal of the SED-Dictatorship (Berliner Aufarbeitungsbeauftragter) and the Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft e. V., with contributions of the Stasi Museum, UOKG e. V., MACHmit! Museum and Förderverein "Campus für Demokratie" e. V. Media partners: Der Tagesspiegel, tipBerlin, EXBERLINER.
The Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft is funded by the Federal Commissioner for Culture and Media (Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien) and the Berlin Commissioner for the Reappraisal of the SED-Dictatorship (Berliner Aufarbeitungsbeauftragter).
