Journalist | Editor | Chairperson | Germany expert / correspondent | in Hilversum & Berlin
In “Andere Tijden” about the GDR Theme Afternoon
On August 31, 2025, Ulrike gave a presentation at the GDR Theme Afternoon, held at the Sound and VisionMuseum in Hilversum. The team from “Andere Tijden” was also there and produced this episode about the GDR.
Ulrike Nagel at the Sound and Vision Museum in Hilversum
Background
There is a great deal of interest in the GDR and its history in the Netherlands. This is also evident from the sold-out themed afternoons that Friso de Zeeuw, director of the GDR Museum, has organized at Sound and Vision over the past two years. “People have a renewed interest in the GDR due to the changing situation in the world and Europe and the new Iron Curtain that has emerged as a result,” De Zeeuw explains by phone. He also notes that more and more young adults are interested in the history of the GDR, including its design and architecture.
The afternoon event was intended for enthusiasts of GDR history and people with an interest in culture and politics. “A themed afternoon offers something extra because it brings the history of the GDR to life and sheds light on it in a different way,” says De Zeeuw. He attributes the success of the two previous editions to “the combination of archival footage and personal stories. “People interested in the GDR enjoy learning more about it this way. And also to reminisce.”
Ulrike Nagel with a small Trabant at the Sound and Vision Museum in Hilversum
Personal Experiences
One of this year’s guests was Matthias Gehler. He served as spokesperson for the GDR’s transitional government and was involved in the negotiations with West Germany regarding reunification. One of his staff members was the then-unknown physicist Angela Merkel. Gehler compiled his experiences in the book “Wollen Sie die Einheit – oder nicht?” Erinnerungen des Regierungssprechers (2024). On August 31, Gehler spoke about his book and his views on today’s Germany.
Ulrike Nagel, a journalist and expert on Germany, also spoke during the themed afternoon about her personal experiences in the GDR. Nagel has lived in the Netherlands for years, but grew up in East Berlin and, as a child, consciously witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall. She created the six-part podcast series “Over de Muur” (“Over the Wall”) on this topic, in which she discusses her childhood in the GDR, the reunification process, and what remains of the GDR.
The audience had the opportunity to ask questions of Gehler and Nagel. “This is how we foster dialogue between the speakers and the audience,” De Zeeuw explains. For those who do not understand German fluently, Gehler’s remarks were displayed on the screen in the auditorium via simultaneous translation.
Ulrike with an Abzeichen pin
The guests’ personal experiences were interspersed with music by Matthias Gehler—who is also a singer-songwriter—and his band. Eppo van Nispen tot Sevenaer, director of Beeld & Geluid, brought the GDR to life with rare TV and film footage from the archives. The Zeeland native concluded the afternoon with a few artifacts from the GDR museum. For example, he brought along a grinding wheel, a tool used to tear down the Wall. But he also used photographs to illustrate the disappointment felt by many East Germans that followed the euphoria of reunification. Many East German companies proved to be no longer viable in the short term and had to close. “As a result, 2.5 million people lost their jobs,” said De Zeeuw.
In the Netherlands, an event like this is unique, says De Zeeuw. “Under the motto ‘We had a good life, despite (and not because of) the regime,’ we want to present the history of the GDR without overlooking its darker side.”
