Potsdam Conference 1945 – The reorganisation of the world

The exhibition in Cecilienhof Palace is open. There are currently no guided tours, the visit is guided by a multimedia guide. Tickets with a Berlin WelcomeCard discount are available at the box office and in the Berlin Tourist Information offices.

Historical background

2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the conference held by the Second World War’s three victorious powers: the USA, Great Britain and the Soviet Union. The heads of state Truman, Churchill (Attlee from 28/07/1945) and Stalin discussed the future of Germany and the political and territorial reorganisation of Europe and parts of the world during round table discussions at Cecilienhof Palace. The negotiations began on 17 July and ended on 2 August 1945 with the “Communiqué on the Three Power Conference of Berlin”, which would later enter into history as the “Potsdam Agreement”. The Cold War, which began at the same time, laid the foundations for the later division of Germany and the world. The dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end the Pacific War on 6 and 9 August triggered the nuclear arms race between the great powers in the East and West. Decisions and agreements made in Potsdam still influence world politics today.

Exhibition

The Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation of Berlin-Brandenburg (SPSG) is holding a special exhibition on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Potsdam Conference until 31 October 2021 at its historic site in Cecilienhof Palace. In addition to presenting the decisions and procedures of the Potsdam Conference, the perspectives of those affected by the negotiations and decisions of the conference topics will also be presented in all exhibition areas. The objective and non-ideological depictions of the far-reaching geopolitical decisions taken are juxtaposed with emotionally touching interventions – the personal voices of those affected. Thus, for the first time, visitors can experience the contrasts between the abstract decisions made by the victorious powers and the concrete experiences of their consequences. Famous historical personalities such as Churchill, Stalin and Truman are confronted with the many voices who remain nameless in history (atomic bomb victims, displaced persons, collaborators etc.). It is therefore possible to engage with multiple perspectives at the same event.

Four major topics form the focus of the content:

1. Berlin Conference – Potsdam Conference: The “Big Three”
2. On the agenda: Europe’s New Order
3. Off the record: Asia and Middle East
4. Turning point: The world after 1945

Historically significant artefacts combined with multimedia installations convey a vivid, real-life atmosphere and take visitors on a journey back in time to 1945. In addition to the historical palace rooms, including the conference hall and the studies of the three delegation leaders, the famous garden terrace, where the Big Three were photographed by the press in their wicker chairs, will also be included in the exhibition area for the first time.