When can the exhibition be seen?

The special exhibition runs from July 24, 2026, to May 2, 2027.

Where is the DEFA exhibition taking place?

The exhibition can be seen at the Film Museum Potsdam in Marstall, Breite Straße 1A, 14467 Potsdam.

What is the admission fee?

The admission for adults is 12 euros as a museum combo ticket for all exhibitions in the museum.

When is the Film Museum Potsdam open?

The Film Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM and closed on Mondays.

What content does the exhibition showcase?

The exhibition includes about 40 DEFA feature films, film posters, original costumes, props, film excerpts, and thematic stations on everyday life, love, freedom, rebellion, and other social issues.

Is there a complementary program?

The exhibition is accompanied by a comprehensive film and event program with guests.

80 Years of DEFA Films: Discover Moving Film History at the Film Museum Potsdam

Name: WITHOUT BREAKFAST. WITHOUT DISCUSSION. 80 Years of DEFA Films
Start: 2026-10-25T10:00:00+01:00
End: 2027-05-02T18:00:00+02:00
Location: Filmmuseum Potsdam

DEFA Film History as a Living Art Experience

The Film Museum Potsdam is dedicating a special exhibition to the 80th anniversary of the German Film Stock Company, which connects film history, everyday culture, and social memory. WITHOUT BREAKFAST. WITHOUT DISCUSSION. 80 Years of DEFA Films focuses on feature films that make visible life in the GDR between longing, adaptation, rebellion, and personal freedom.

Eleven Themes Between Everyday Life and Utopia

The exhibition tells the story of DEFA not chronologically, but through themes that resonate with people then and now: emancipation, housing, eating and drinking, freedom and wanderlust, art, sex and love, peace, patriotism, home, church and religion, as well as fashion. About 40 selected feature films provide different perspectives on a society shaped by personal hopes as much as by state influence.

Original Costumes, Props, and Cinematic Memories

The examination of the works leads through a multi-layered scenography of film stills, posters, film excerpts, original costumes, and props. Among the special exhibits are the jeweled dress worn by Jenny Jugo from Don't Dream, Annette!, the dressing gown and leather jacket of Renate Krößner from Solo Sunny, a show dress by Katrin Sass from To Hell with Harbolla, and a typewriter from One Carries the Burden of the Other. A costume from Moritz in the Litfaß Column and a miniature coffee pot from Concert for Frying Pan and Orchestra also bridge to children's and youth films.

An Exhibition Atmosphere Between Color and Concentration

The understated exhibition architecture allows the exhibits to speak for themselves. Colorful stations, low walls, and surprising openings create a friendly, human spatial effect. Light and media technology enhance the aesthetic experience without overshadowing the historical objects. This creates an exhibition atmosphere where memory, research, and sensory perception intertwine.

DEFA Between Official Culture and Independent Voices

Between 1946 and 1992, DEFA produced documentary, animation, and around 750 feature films. The focus of the exhibition is on contemporary films shaped by filmmakers from the GDR, incorporating the experiences, concerns, wishes, and conflicts of their audience. Classics like Solo Sunny, The Unrest, and Until Death Do Us Part meet rediscovered productions. The exhibition highlights how closely film, politics, everyday life, and cultural identity were interconnected.

Cultural Education for Multiple Generations

Every thematic station integrates at least one children's or youth film. Thus, the curation opens access to DEFA film history even for younger visitors. A complementary film and event program deepens the exhibition and invites comparisons of historical images with present-day realities.

The special exhibition was created in collaboration with the DEFA Foundation and the Friends of the Film Museum Potsdam. Among those involved are the exhibition design office Kuschel and Klein, Felder CologneBerlin for graphic design, and Trollwerk Potsdam for light and media technology.

Conclusion: Film History that Lives On in Space

Visitors can expect not a static film archive, but an atmospheric art experience with original objects, moving images, and social depth. The exhibition invites an aesthetic experience, critical work examination, and personal alignment with German history. Anyone wanting to understand how DEFA films reflected everyday life, feelings, and political reality should definitely experience this exhibition live at the Film Museum Potsdam.