Picture Cellar

In the middle of the political “Tauwetter-Periode” (thaw period), the master students of the German Akademie der Künste celebrate carnival in the coal cellar in 1957 and 1958.

The works by the master students Manfred Böttcher, Harald Metzkes, Ernst Schroeder, Werner Stötzer and Horst Zickelbein are unique testimonies to a youthful post-war awakening. In an exhibition initiated by Fritz Cremer, the works of the carnival painters provided the occasion for the climax of a cultural-political campaign against the Akademie in the GDR. As if in a burning glass, the murals reflect the controversial discussion between East and West and the need for a differentiated interpretation of German-German history in a European context.

The Picture Cellar was only made public in 2018. Besides the exhibition halls and the Brandenburg Gate, the murals are the only original remnants of the historic Pariser Platz.

Interview films, audio documents and a publication in German and English provide insights into the disputes of the time.

Access to the Picture Cellar is only possible on a guided tour. Please note that the Picture Cellar is not accessible for wheelchair users. We apologize for this inconvenience.

Special guided tours in English, for students and for blind and visually impaired visitors with registration: kunstwelten@adk.de