The border fortifications at this site had special significance. When the Wall was built on August 13, 1961, the River Spree between Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg became part of the border strip. The entire width of the river here belonged to East Berlin. West Berlin territory began at the riverbank on the Kreuzberg side. Thus, the East Side Gallery exists today on a section of former "Hinterlandmauer", the inner wall that had faced East Berlin.

In addition to this topographical distinction, the border grounds here exhibited another unique feature: With Mühlenstrasse serving as a "protocol route" for high-ranking visitors to the GDR, the inner wall here was visible to all. It resembled the "Border Wall 75" that usually faced West Berlin. The 3.5-meter-high wall elements were supposed to obstruct the view of the death strip.

The historical relics on Mühlenstrasse give an impression of how increased security measures and ongoing expansion of the Berlin Wall made the border increasingly invincible. Building structures on the river embankment were gradually removed in the 1970s to provide GDR border soldiers with an unobstructed “view and clear line of fire.” The entire area was razed in 1977, leaving only the Mühlenspeicher, a warehouse from the large harbor grounds. The intact urban structure here was completely destroyed by the GDR border fortifications. A section of the inner wall made of the characteristic cinder blocks from 1961 still exists here and is one of the few preserved examples of the first generation of the Wall.

Mühlenstrasse, 1987. Gerhard Danigel, CC BY-SA 4.0

Border troops patrol boat on the Spree, 1980

Mühlenspeicher and border troops patrol boat on the Spree, 1980

Border fortifications on Mühlenstrasse, southeastern view, 1988

The Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall Memorial website provides more information on the history of the Berlin Wall and how the GDR border regime functioned.

It was only a few days after the fall of the Berlin Wall that artists began painting the east side of the structure. GDR border guards, however, promptly painted over the pictures that had been painted on segments of the Wall at Potsdamer Platz. Shortly thereafter, the artist David Monty from Schöneberg, accompanied by Heike Stephan, an artist from Prenzlauer Berg, presented his idea of making “the Wall into the largest gallery in the world.” In discussions with the GDR Ministry of National Defense it was agreed that only the section of the Wall on Mühlenstrasse would be painted. Officially commissioned by the GDR Council of Ministers, the project “East Side Gallery“ was founded and artists from all over the world were invited to participate. The East Side Gallery was opened on 28 September 1990. The artists created murals with individual messages and statements, demonstrating that in the end, the desire for freedom and creativity is stronger than sanctions and force. The more than 100 paintings are an expression of the happiness felt over the fall of the Wall and the end of division.

The East Side Gallery artists were able to prevent their works from demolition, further decay and destruction. The city of Berlin added the East Side Gallery to its monument register in November 1991. It was the most visible outcome of the opening of the Wall, but now, with almost the entire Berlin Wall gone, it is one of the few remaining relics of the border fortifications at its original location, serving as a reminder that the city was divided for 28 years. In 1996 several of the artists became involved in the East Side Gallery Artist Initiative, an association that supports conservation of the artwork and was initiated by Kani Alavi.

Birgit Kinder, Test the Rest

Ignasi Blanch I Gisbert, Parlo D’Amor

Laszlo Erkel, You Can See Infinity

Andy Weiss, Spirit Trave

André Sécrit, You have learned, what freedom means

Jürgen Grosse, Birth Of Kachinas, copied

Gerhard Lahr, Berlyn

Dieter Wien, Morning

Sándor Györffy, Fireheads

Rainer Jehle, Monument, Memorial

Since 1996, artists have been involved in the artists' initiative East Side Gallery e.V. initiated by Kani Alavi, which is committed to the preservation and care of the paintings.