Reparaturgesellschaft DDR?

In the organizer's words:

The myth of the longevity of East German products

Whether RG28 or Schwalbe - GDR products were considered robust and some of them are still in use today. At the same time, a sense of tinkering and fiddling was often required to keep them running. The lack of spare parts made this even more difficult. In a society where gaps in supply were part of everyday life, creativity and improvisation were key skills. In her lecture, technology historian Kathrin Tschida sheds light on the practice of repairing in the GDR. From the Komplexannahmestelle back then to the Repair Café today: can parallels be drawn? We discuss sustainability and ask whether the GDR invented DIY.

Lecture: Kathrin Tschida, historian of technology, Berlin
Moderation: Dr. Liza Soutschek, research associate at the DDR Museum

Admission is free of charge.