Post/Socialist Palaces

From the center of Berlin, the theme weekend draws attention to transformation processes and major events of the political movement that took place in and around the Palace of the Republic in 1989/90 and beyond. In a variety of formats, it broadens the view beyond Berlin and German-German issues and shows connections to comparable politically charged places of transformation in cities in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe.

Using the examples of Berlin, Bucharest, Kyiv, Prague, Sofia and Warsaw, we will trace processes of social upheaval this weekend with a view to the symbolic site of the Palace of Culture. At the same time, we will ask about the significance of these places for the present. The route marked out for Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe along the 5 cities will be extended by side trips to Minsk in Belarus and Belgrade in Serbia.

Various formats are on offer during the theme weekend: readings, round table discussions, concerts, panel discussions and installations. People from the respective countries come into contact with each other and with the audience. In the events, we invite scholars from various disciplines and artists to exchange ideas about the spaces of socialism in the context of the political and social developments of 1989/90 and beyond.

The thematic weekend “Post/Socialist Palaces – Bucuresti, Київ, Praha, София, Warszawa” is part of the Humboldt Forum Foundation’s program focus “The Palace of the Republic is Present”. The program is based on the cooperation of the different actors at the Humboldt Forum, the exchange with experts, interviews with contemporary witnesses, research and a planned special exhibition in 2024.