The Hamburg Metropolitan Region, together with the Dömitz-Malliß office and the town of Dömitz, cordially invites you to visit the exhibition "Grown. Divided. United. Border history(ies)". Since October 1, the exhibition of the Border History(ies) project has been on display in the Dömitz-Malliß office and in the Dömitz Fortress Gallery on the occasion of the Day of German Unity 2025. The exhibition shows how the Hamburg metropolitan region has been shaped by historical developments such as the division of Germany. It tells of the former economic interdependence of the region and the effects of the division on people, the economy and nature. It shows how the region grew together after reunification and ventures a look into the future.
In the exhibition, the Hamburg Metropolitan Region tells the story of the history, development and character of the region with its 300-kilometer-long former inner-German border. It is about life in the former border region, the historical interdependencies and trade flows that shaped the metropolitan region and the consequences of the division. One focus of the exhibition is on the border stories told by contemporary witnesses of the former inner-German border. The exhibition also presents the reorganization of the economic area after the opening and the process of growing together.
The exhibition is divided into three parts: Grown, Divided and United. The "Grown" part is about the living space in the Hamburg metropolitan region. How our region has been shaped by nature and changed by us humans is particularly evident along the Elbe. The influences of the Hanseatic period also clearly shape our region. For the presentation in Dömitz, this part of the exhibition tells the story of how the region grew together from the perspective of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
How ruthlessly the violent division of Germany treated people and their living spaces is the subject of the "Divided" section. People in the GDR, but also in the West, had to learn to live with the new situation. Contemporary witnesses talk about their experiences. They tell the story of the two-state Germany and look at life in the border zone and restricted area from different perspectives.
The third part, entitled "United", describes the joy at the end of the division, but also the difficulties that had to be overcome. It is also a stimulus to deal with the challenges of this new situation, a process of change in which people, society and nature find themselves anew.
As part of the underlying project "Border History(ies)", a lively landscape of remembrance has developed along around 30 locations in the Hamburg metropolitan region, inviting visitors to take part in many events as part of the Day of German Unity.
OPENING HOURS
October 1 to December 23, 2025
Amt Dömitz-Malliß, Slüterplatz 2, 19303 Dömitz (Part 1 - 3)
Mon 9 am - 12 noon, 1 pm - 3 pm / Tue and Thu 9 am - 12 noon, 1 pm - 6 pm / Fri 9 am - 12 noon
Dömitz Fortress Gallery, Auf der Festung 3, 19303 Dömitz (parts 4 - 6)
October - November. Wed - Sun and public holidays 11 am - 3 pm / December. Wed - Sun 12 - 3 pm
Information about the exhibition
More about the border history(ies) memorial landscape at: https://metropolregion.hamburg.de/grenzgeschichten/
