funded by the

National Treasures of Germany
From Luther to the Bauhaus
new: 30 September 2005 - 8 January 2006
Press conference: 09/29/2005, 11 a.m.

An exhibition initiated by the Konferenz Nationaler Kultureinrichtungen (KNK, Conference of National Cultural Organisations) in cooperation with the Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in Bonn.

“I would much love to see the treasures there, gathered over time”. The treasures that so intrigued the great Johann Wolfgang von Goethe two hundred years ago were the extraordinarily rich collections and matchless landscaped parks built by the ruling houses, the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie at the very heart of Europe, in Germany’s east.

Fifteen years after the German reunification, twenty-five leading cultural institution from the former East Germany and Berlin have come together to present their most precious treasures in a unique display. Six hundred key objects are showcased in an exhibition that covers 2000 square metres of the Kunst- und Ausstellungshalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland.

This exploration of the history of collecting illustrates the origins and evolution of the many kinds of museums and private collections, examining them in their larger European setting over five centuries as well as highlighting the particular character of the museums of eastern Germany. The history of collecting was decisively influenced by developments emanating from eastern Germany, and it is there that major sites of the German shared cultural heritage can be found. In recognition of the pivotal nature of Martin Luther’s Reformation, which spread from Wittenberg in Saxony at the beginning of the 16th century, the exhibition begins its survey with the Reformation.

The display of paintings, sculptures, drawings, literary and musical compositions, valuables and curios as well as specimens of natural history illustrates the emergence of the German national heritage that is rooted in the framework of a wider European context. Visitors will come face to face with the princely collectors of the past and share their passions, captivated by the outstanding quality of the objects.

The exhibition spans more than 500 years of collecting history, ending with pieces of the Bauhaus era. A brief computer animated portrait of the twenty-five participating institutions at the beginning of the 21st century brings the impressive survey to a close.