When can the exhibition be visited?

The exhibition is open on October 20, 2026, from 10 AM to 6 PM.

Where does Serve Truthfully Peaceful Development take place?

The exhibition takes place at the Film Museum Potsdam at Breiten Straße 1 a, 14467 Potsdam.

What does the admission cost?

Admission to the exhibition is free.

What topics does the exhibition cover?

The focus is on the founding years of DEFA, film activity, and the cinematic engagement with German post-war society from 1945.

Are tours or workshops offered?

Information on tours and workshops will follow.

How long does a visit to the exhibition last?

No specific duration for the visit is stated.

DEFA Exhibition in Potsdam: Experience Film History, Memory, and Renewal Compellingly

Name: Serve Truthfully Peaceful Development
Start: 2026-10-20T10:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-20T18:00:00+02:00
Location: Filmmuseum Potsdam

Experience DEFA History at the Film Museum Potsdam

The exhibition Serve Truthfully Peaceful Development at the Film Museum Potsdam focuses on the founding years of DEFA and on a German society undergoing radical change. After the end of the National Socialist dictatorship in 1945, large parts of the country lay in ruins, while hunger, need, and the search for a political and cultural new beginning dominated everyday life.

Film as a Reflection of a Destroyed Time

At the center is the early post-war period, during which film enthusiasts founded the Film Activity – the seed of the later DEFA. The exhibition illustrates how filmmakers engaged with the pressing questions of their present: How could the Second World War arise? How was the broad support for the National Socialist ideology possible? And what responsibility did the medium of film take on in the context of societal renewal?

Historical Film Culture and Aesthetic Experience

The presentation leads to formative early DEFA productions such as The Murderers Are Among Us, Marriage in the Shadow, and The Council of the Gods. These films represent an artistic engagement with guilt, memory, war, and moral responsibility. In the exhibition atmosphere, film historical documents and the impact history of German post-war cinema come together for a concentrated viewing experience.

Cultural Education Between Memory and Present

The exhibition provides access to DEFA as a significant chapter in German film history. It invites visitors to view the early productions not only as historical testimonies but also as aesthetic and political responses to an era. For students, film enthusiasts, and historically interested visitors, an educational artistic experience emerges at the intersection of film, memory culture, and cultural education.

Conclusion: An Important Look at Cinematic Renewal

Serve Truthfully Peaceful Development makes visible how closely film art and societal self-understanding were connected after 1945. Those wishing to better understand the beginnings of DEFA, the history of German post-war cinema, and the cultural power of cinematic images will find a concise exhibition at the Film Museum Potsdam with high historical relevance. The visit enriches the aesthetic experience and sharpens the perception of the responsibility of art in times of upheaval.