The Palace of the Republic was the building that most exemplified political power in East Germany. Built from 1973 to 1976 in the middle of Berlin, the state and cultural
centre was the seat of the Volkskammer (parliament) as well as a meeting place with event and gallery spaces, restaurants, a theatre, discotheque, and bowling alley.
The first freely elected Volkskammer convened there in March of 1990. Shortly thereafter, the building was closed because of asbestos contamination. In the
early 2000s, the shell was successfully used for cultural purposes but demolished nonetheless not much later. Today, the Humboldt Forum stands in its place. Yet the
palace remains present in many people’s memories.
This volume explores aspects such as closeout sales, construction site, ghosts, Glass Flower, Global South, identity, interim use, lighting system, Marx & Engels,
palaces of culture, reconstruction, Stasi, and more. Recent research, artistic contributions, and personal interviews open new perspectives. The Palace of the
Die Publikation „Hin und weg. Der Palast der Republik ist Gegenwart“ betrachtet den Palast der Republik als gesamtdeutsches Thema. Von der Architektur über die Baugeschichte bis hin zu künstlerischen Positionen und Forschungsarbeiten bietet dieses Buch eine umfassende Untersuchung des Palastes.
Das Buch sammelt eine Vielzahl von Perspektiven unterschiedlicher Menschen, die direkt oder indirekt mit dem Palast verbunden waren, und ermöglicht es so, dessen Geschichte aus verschiedenen Blickwinkeln zu betrachten. Es enthält Beiträge renommierter Autor*innen wie Victoria Helene Bergemann, Aron Boks und Gesine Danckwart sowie Wissenschaftler*innen wie Hanno Hochmuth und Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk. Diese Mischung aus persönlichen Erzählungen und wissenschaftlichen Essays eröffnet neue Diskurse und macht das Thema für ein breites Publikum zugänglich. https://www.yumpu.com/de/document/view/68688830/hin-und-weg-der-palast-der-republik-ist-gegenwart Ergänzt werden die Texte durch eindrucksvolle Fotoarbeiten unter anderem von Tobias Kruse und Nikolaus Becker sowie innovative Grafiken von Johanna Benz und Tiziana Beck (graphicrecording.cool), die das visuelle Erlebnis des Buches bereichern.
Dieses Buch ist ein unverzichtbarer Bestandteil jeder Sammlung zur Geschichte und Architektur der DDR.
Naga country. Voices from Northeast India Published by the Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace German and English edition, 96 pages, paperback, 26.5 x 21.5 cm, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin 2023, EUR 22 The Naga form a minority in Northeast India and in north-west Myanmar - and at the same time consist of over thirty different ethnic groups, that is three to four million people with numerous languages.
How do they manage to preserve their traditional traditions and integrate them into today's changed lifestyles - with modern tattoos, fashion and social media? Authors from Nagaland describe different facets of their current and past culture and shed a new light on the Naga collection of the Ethnological Museum in Berlin, which has been supplemented with contemporary objects.
Naga country. Voices from North-East India Published by the Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss English edition, 96 pages, softcover, 26.5 x 21.5 cm, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin 2023, 22.- Euro The Naga represent a minority in north- eastern India and north-western Myanmar – yet comprise more than thirty ethnic groups with an overall population of three to four million speaking numerous languages. How have the Naga managed to preserve their traditions and customs and integrate them in today's lifestyle changes - with modern tattoos, fashion and social media?
Describing facets of their culture as it is lived today and relating them to the past, writers from Nagaland make the collection of Naga artefacts at the Ethnological Museum in Berlin, now supplemented by contemporary exhibits, appear in a new light.
Against the Current. The Omaha, Francis La Flesche, and his Collection Published by the Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss English edition, 128 pages, softcover, 26.5 x 21.5 cm, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin 2023, 22.- Euro The collections of the Ethnological Museum in Berlin house around sixty objects from the Omaha of North America that were assembled by the indigenous ethnologist Francis La Flesche around 1895 on behalf of the Royal Museum of Ethnology. It was a time of upheaval, when the lives of the Omaha were marked by loss of land, racism, and violence.
The effects can still be felt today. This book offers insight into the life and work of La Flesche and the process of organizing the exhibition Against the Current. The catalog of objects written by Francis La Flesche is being published here for the first time.
Ancestors, goddesses and heroes. Sculptures from Asia, Africa and Europe Published by the Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace German and English edition, 96 pages, paperback, 26.5 x 21.5 cm, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin 2023, 22 euros Protect, heal or punish – people from different times and backgrounds ascribed these powers to the images that are being presented here together for the first time:45 objects, created between the 4th and 19th centuries, convey living evidence of the ever-present human need for protection and orientation in overcoming individual or societal crises.
They stand for the existence of an invisible world of goddesses and gods, spirits or ancestors who helped to create a tangible connection between this world and an"other reality"and gave inspiration for one's own life.
Ancestors, goddesses and heroes. Sculptures from Asia, Africa and Europe Published by the Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace German and English edition, 96 pages, paperback, 26.5 x 21.5 cm, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin 2023, 22 euros Protect, heal or punish – people from different times and backgrounds ascribed these powers to the images that are being presented here together for the first time:45 objects, created between the 4th and 19th centuries, convey living evidence of the ever-present human need for protection and orientation in overcoming individual or societal crises.
They stand for the existence of an invisible world of goddesses and gods, spirits or ancestors who helped to create a tangible connection between this world and an"other reality"and gave inspiration for one's own life.
Ancestors, Goddesses and Heroes. Sculptures from Asia, Africa and Europe Published by the Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss English edition, 96 pages, softcover, 26.5 x 21.5 cm, Deutscher Kunstverlag, Berlin 2023, 22.- Euro To protect, heal or punish – These are the powers that peoples of radically different ages and places of origin ascribed to the images that are here presented alongside each other for the very first time.
The forty-five objects created between the fourth and nineteenth centuries are a vital attestation of the ever-present need for protection and orientation in times of crisis, whether at the personal or the social level. They stand for the existence of an invisible world of gods, spirits and ancestors that helped forge a palpable link between the here and now and a different reality as well as providing inspiration for the life of each and every individual.
What the Humboldt Brothers have to do with the Humboldt Forum.
Alexander and Wilhelm von Humboldt are the namesakes of the Humboldt Forum. Their biographies, works, points of view, as well as the circumstances in which they lived build a compelling relationship with the Humboldt Forum - starting with the brothers' early lives, growing up near the palace and the royal family. Their later travels, Alexander's nature studies, and Wilhelm's language studies not only illuminate the"interconnected system of nature and culture", they often prove to be astonishingly relevant:What does language mean for living together in a society? In what ways do we acquire knowledge and what responsibilities come with this knowledge? How do we address the colonial contexts of the past as well as of the present?
The Humboldt brothers' insights about the interconnected world, the spirit of their research, their curiosity and their cosmopolitanism inspire the Humboldt Forum's artistic and scientific programme. This book connects the works of the brothers with the cultural institution named after them - and dares to take a new look at these two famous scholars' wide-ranging cosmos of ideas through text and image.
Prestel Verlag, 2022, English edition, paperback, brochure with flaps, 128 pages, 12 x 22 cm, 60 color illustrations, ISBN EN 978-3-7913-7955-5
What the Humboldt brothers have to do with the Humboldt Forum. Alexander and Wilhelm von Humboldt gave the Humboldt Forum its name.
The brothers' biographies, their works and views, but also the circumstances in which they moved, create a tense relationship to the Humboldt Forum - beginning with their growing up together near the palace and the royal family.
Her later travels, Alexander's nature and Wilhelm's language studies illuminate the"intertwined system of nature and culture"and often prove to be incredibly topical:What does language mean for living together in the community? In what ways do we acquire knowledge, and what responsibility does this knowledge entail? How do we deal with colonial conditions in the past and present? The knowledge of the Humboldt brothers about the networked world, their spirit of research, their curiosity and cosmopolitanism inspire the artistic and scientific program of the Humboldt Forum.
This book connects the work of the brothers with the cultural site named after them - and dares a new look at the wide-ranging cosmos of thought of the two famous scholars in texts and pictures.
Prestel Verlag, 2022, German and English edition, paperback, brochure with flaps, 128 pages, 12 x 22 cm, 60 color illustrations, ISBN DE 978-3-7913-7954-8
Published by the Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace.
The successful exhibition from Canberra is coming to Berlin:Discover the origin of Australia first-hand based on one of its central creation stories! Conceived and realized by an Indigenous Board of Trustees in cooperation with the National Museum of Australia and the Australian University, the volume takes us into the impressive world of songlines. Songlines are cultural routes that criss-cross Australia. In stories, songs, ceremonies or rock paintings they tell of the legend of the seven sisters who created the country on their journey. They are reflected in the landscape and star constellations and are carriers of knowledge of indigenous culture that is essential for survival. Using the example of the songlines of the Seven Sisters, the richly illustrated volume tells a lively story about the rules of coexistence, the mapping of the rights of Indigenous Australians and the responsibility for their country.
Ivory fascinates. As long as 40,000 years ago people carved mammoth tusks into artful figures and musical instruments, and it remains popular as a material to this day.
Ivory polarises. Severed elephant tusks represent both injustice and violence. The exploitation of man and nature, the imminent extinction of the elephant, as well as poaching and organized crime are all phenomena which we associate with the use of ivory today.
The publication approaches the subject critically and poses questions about our responsibility in our dealings with both animal and material.
Published by Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace
Fascinated by ivory. Humans used mammoth tusks to create elaborate figurines and musical instruments as early as 40,000 years ago, and the material continues to be popular today.
Ivory polarized. Because today the tusks of the elephants stand for injustice and violence at the same time:the exploitation of people and nature, the threatened extinction of elephants, illegal hunting and organized crime are phenomena that are associated with the use of ivory. The volume takes a critical approach to the subject and poses the question of our responsibility in dealing with animals and materials.
Published by the Humboldt Forum Foundation in the Berlin Palace
