On 18 November 2025 at 6:30 pm, the Federal Bauakademie Foundation and the Leibniz Institute for Spatial Social Research (IRS) in Erkner presented the results of their joint research project, “History and Reception of the Bauakademie of the GDR.
The project featured 20 interviews with witnesses, reflecting the diversity of 14 different institutes and central institutions, as well as external perspectives on the Bauakademie of the GDR. This resulted in a rich and multifaceted collection of voices offering insights into the institution’s structure, responsibilities, and public perception, alongside the personal life stories of those involved. The interviews were condensed into short video formats and are available on the Federal Bauakademie Foundation’s YouTube channel.
The event took place at the German Architecture Center (DAZ) and online.
Welcome:
Dr. Elena Wiezorek, Director, Federal Bauakademie Foundation
Moderation:
Friedrike Meyer, Editor in Chief, BauNetz
Introduction:
Dr. Harald Engler, Researcher - Contemporary History und Archival Research, IRS Erkner
Guests:
Dr. Karin Koven, former research staff member at the Bauakademie of the GDR
Katrin Lompscher, Chair of the Board, Hermann-Henselmann Foundation (former research staff member at the Bauakademie of the GDR)
Prof. Dr. Kerstin Brückweh, Head of the Research Area “Contemporary History and Archive”, IRS Erkner
Dr. Elena Wiezorek, Direktor, Federal Bauakademie Foundation
Dr. Harald Engler outlined the responsibilities and organizational structure of the Bauakademie of the GDR and presented the project’s initial findings. In conversation with Dr. Karin Koven and Katrin Lompscher, the discussion also touched on personal memories and reflections on their work at the time. Topics included balancing family and professional life, pursuing doctoral studies at the Bauakademie of the GDR, the state of scientific research, as well as questions of collegial collaboration and the shared professional identity of those working at the institution. Prof. Dr. Kerstin Brückweh and Dr. Elena Wiezorek then connected the transition-period with current and future challenges in planning and construction, as well as the role of the Federal Bauakademie Foundation today.
Founded in 1951, the Bauakademie of the GDR was intended to be housed in Schinkel’s Bauakademie, which was undergoing reconstruction at the time. It served as the central scientific institution for architecture and construction in the GDR. Through its various institutes, it possessed significant capacities for practice-oriented research and was directly subordinate to the Ministry of Construction.
In collaboration with its partners, the Federal Bauakademie Foundation carries out projects that engage with the history of the site through scholarly and artistic approaches.
