The Deutsch-Deutsches Museum Mödlareuth (German-German Museum Mödlareuth) is located in the small village of Mödlareuth, Germany. The museum is dedicated to the history of the division of Germany during the Cold War and the effects of the Inner German Border that separated East and West Germany from 1949 to 1990. The village of Mödlareuth, often referred to as “Little Berlin,” was directly impacted by the division, making it a powerful symbol of the division of Germany and the experiences of families and communities living along the border.
Deutsch-Deutsches Museum Mödlareuth
Mödlareuth 13
95183 Töpen
+49 9295 1334
March 1 – October 31
- Monday 09:00 – 16:00 by appointment
- Tuesday – Sunday 09:00 – 18:00
November 1 – February 28
- Monday 09:00 – 16:00 by appointment
- Tuesday – Sunday 09:00 – 17:00
Admission fee
Aircraft collection
| D-HBJI | Sud Aviation SA.318C Alouette II |
Key Attractions and Exhibits
- The Division of Mödlareuth
- The museum is located in a village that was physically divided by the Inner German Border. One part of Mödlareuth was in West Germany (Bavaria) and the other in East Germany (Thuringia). The border ran through the village, dividing families and friends for decades.
- The museum offers a comprehensive historical overview of how the border was established, the construction of fortifications, and the effects of the division on daily life in the village and the surrounding region.
- Original Border Structures
- The Deutsch-Deutsches Museum Mödlareuth features sections of the original border fence, watchtowers, and guard posts that were part of the GDR’s (German Democratic Republic) security measures. Visitors can see preserved elements of the border fortifications, including the infamous “death strip”, which separated the two German states and made escape attempts extremely dangerous.
- Parts of the original border wall and other equipment, such as border control huts, are on display, giving visitors a tangible connection to the past.
- Personal Stories and Testimonials
- The museum highlights personal stories of individuals who lived in the village before and after the division. These stories include family separations, escape attempts, and the difficulties of living under surveillance by the Stasi (the East German secret police).
- Testimonies from former residents of Mödlareuth reveal the emotional and social impact of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain on everyday life.
- Cold War History and the German Division
- The museum explores the broader historical context of the Cold War and the political division of Germany into the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).
- Exhibits detail the Cold War tension, the role of the Berlin Wall, and the militarization of the border regions. It also covers escape attempts and the complex systems in place to prevent East Germans from fleeing to the West.
- Interactive Exhibits
- Some exhibits are interactive, allowing visitors to engage with the history of the border through multimedia presentations, maps, and photos.
- Visitors can see how the physical and ideological division of Germany shaped the lives of the people on both sides of the border.
- Reunification and the End of the Border
- The Deutsch-Deutsches Museum Mödlareuth also focuses on the period leading up to German reunification in 1990, detailing the fall of the Berlin Wall, the peaceful protests that led to the end of the division, and the reunification process.
- Exhibits discuss the social, political, and economic changes that took place as East and West Germany came back together and how former border regions like Mödlareuth transitioned after the reunification.
Photo twitter Claus Atzenbeck