New Orte Ost series revives Berlin's forgotten industrial past

A new documentary series called Orte Ost has launched, exploring key sites in eastern Germany. The project blends historical insights with present-day perspectives. Its first film, Electropolis Oberschöneweide, premiered on January 13, 2026, and will be available online from January 19.

The pilot episode centres on Berlin-Oberschöneweide, once a thriving industrial district. Factories like KWO, TRO, and WF employed around 30,000 workers there. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the area's economic base collapsed, leaving behind a faded industrial legacy.

The film aims to spark local conversations and renew interest in GDR history. Future episodes will examine other Berlin locations, including the Ernst Thälmann Monument, Keibelstraße Prison, and life in Plattenbau housing estates. Shorter films from February 2026 will also feature the Haus am Werderschen Markt, the former SED headquarters now used for German foreign policy, and the Funkhaus in Nalepastraße, where modern studios sit behind decaying GDR-era facades.

Beyond Berlin, the series plans to expand to other eastern German sites, though the exact number remains unconfirmed. The area around Wilhelminenhofstraße, for example, saw revival in the early 2000s with the arrival of HTW Berlin, adding new energy to the district.

The Orte Ost series will be accessible on the DDR Museum's YouTube channel starting January 19. By linking past and present, the films aim to encourage discussions about eastern Germany's evolving identity. Further episodes will continue rolling out in the coming months.