2023/24 marks the 75th anniversary of the “airlift”, an event closely linked to Berlin’s history. To mark the occasion, the Museum of Military History of the Bundeswehr at the Berlin-Gatow Airfield, the Allied Museum Berlin and the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst are presenting at Tempelhof Airport the special exhibition “Blockaded Victors – Divided Berlin. 75 Years Airlift”. For the first time three museums of contemporary history in Berlin jointly dedicate themselves to the historical event of the “airlift”.

The exhibition covers the entire period of the Berlin Blockade 75 years ago.

The narrative of the success and achievement of the Airlift is generally known. The exhibition adds further perspectives to this view: How did the blockade and airlift come about in 1948 in the first place? What policies did the Western Allies and the Soviet Union, as victorious and occupying powers, pursue towards Germany and Berlin in the first post-war years? What do the blockade and the airlift have to do with the division of the city? How do Berliners experience this period? And what role does the Airlift play in Berlin's culture of remembrance?

The exhibition explores these questions in four chapters: Blockaded Visitors, Divided Berlin, Airlift, Myth and Commemoration. The exhibition is presented in four languages for the entire period of the Berlin Blockade 75 years ago: English, French, German and Russian. A handout in Ukrainian has also been prepared.

More information on the accompanying program with lectures, readings and film screenings will follow shortly.

An exhibition of the Museum of Military History of the Bundeswehr at Airfield Berlin-Gatow, the Allied Museum Berlin and the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst.

The exhibition is realised with the support of Tempelhof Projekt GmbH.

Guided tours of the exhibition are offered by the three cooperating museums.

You can book guided tours for specific time slots through our booking portal. Please indicate whether you would like a guided tour in English or German. For larger groups, tours in French or Russian can also be arranged. Your booking will be confirmed by email.

Booking

The exhibition is accompanied by an online publication with essays by the curators in German, English, French and Russian. It is published by the three participating museums.

The German version will be available on the exhibition website from 28 June 2023.

Content:

Introduction
Doris Müller-Toovey

Berlin blockade | Airlift to Berlin (1948/49) – A security policy classification
Marc Hansen

“We’ll stay. Period.” The political decisions of the Western Powers immediately after the blockade of West Berlin
Bernd von Kostka

The Soviet perspective during the Berlin Crisis, 1948/49
Jörg Morré

Starving for Freedom? Supply strategies in everyday life during the blockade in West Berlin
Ricardo Neuner

“Planes plundering us.” An eternal airlift myth?
Matthias Heisig

In the essays, the curators further examine topics addressed in the exhibition. These include the security policy situation in Europe after World War II, the motivations behind the actions of the four victorious powers before and during the first Berlin crisis, the actual supply situation in the Western sectors of the city at the time, and the so-called backlift – an airlift topic that has always been the subject of controversy. The bibliographical references following the essays provide an overview of the research situation on the blockade and the airlift.

Online Publication

The exhibition is accompanied by an online publication with essays by the curators in German, English, French and Russian. It is published by the three participating museums.

The German version will be available on the exhibition website from 28 June 2023.

Content:

Introduction
Doris Müller-Toovey

Berlin blockade | Airlift to Berlin (1948/49) – A security policy classification
Marc Hansen

“We’ll stay. Period.” The political decisions of the Western Powers immediately after the blockade of West Berlin
Bernd von Kostka

The Soviet perspective during the Berlin Crisis, 1948/49
Jörg Morré

Starving for Freedom? Supply strategies in everyday life during the blockade in West Berlin
Ricardo Neuner

“Planes plundering us.” An eternal airlift myth?
Matthias Heisig

In the essays, the curators further examine topics addressed in the exhibition. These include the security policy situation in Europe after World War II, the motivations behind the actions of the four victorious powers before and during the first Berlin crisis, the actual supply situation in the Western sectors of the city at the time, and the so-called backlift – an airlift topic that has always been the subject of controversy. The bibliographical references following the essays provide an overview of the research situation on the blockade and the airlift.

Online Publication (German version)