80 Stunning Photos Capturing Streets and Everyday Life of East Germany 1960s

East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), emerged from the ashes of World War II under Soviet control. The 1960s saw the communist government doubling down on its socialist ideals. Propaganda machines churned out messages of worker solidarity and utopian efficiency. Housing projects sprung up, promising a secure and equal society.

East Germany’s economy in 1960 focused on industrialization as the backbone of its development. The state controlled major industries, aiming to increase productivity and self-sufficiency. Despite significant investments in heavy industry, the GDR faced economic challenges, including labor shortages and the need for technological improvement. These issues stemmed partly from the ongoing migration of East Germans to the West, seeking better opportunities and freedom.

One of the most pressing issues for East Germany in 1960 was the continuous flow of citizens fleeing to West Germany. This exodus highlighted the dissatisfaction of many East Germans with the regime’s repressive policies and economic conditions. The Berlin Crisis of 1961, culminating in the construction of the Berlin Wall, was looming on the horizon as tensions escalated over the city’s status and the free movement between East and West Berlin.

The Ministry for State Security, or Stasi, played a crucial role in maintaining the SED’s hold on power. In 1960, the Stasi intensified its surveillance and repression of perceived enemies of the state, including dissidents, church leaders, and those attempting to flee to the West. The Stasi’s network of informants and its invasive tactics fostered an atmosphere of fear and mistrust among the population.

#1 Dresden rebuilt, 1960s

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#2 Church in ruins in Dresden, 1960s

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#3 East Berlin’s Stalin Allé, 1960s

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#4 Eisleben’s Andreaskirche, 1960s

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#5 Lenin statue in Eisleben, 1960s

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#6 Luther statue in Eisleben, 1960s

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#7 Erfurt street scene, 1960s

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#8 Erfurt Town Hall, 1960s

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#9 Near the Augustiner Monastery in Erfurt, 1960s

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#10 Family outing in Treptow Park, Berlin, 1960s

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#11 Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden, 1960s

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#12 Rotes Turm in Halle-Saale, 1960s

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#13 Handel Monument in Halle-Saale’s main square, 1960s

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#14 Handel statue in Halle-Saale Square, 1960s

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#15 Lindenkirche in Berlin, 1960s

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#16 Marienkirche in Berlin, 1960s

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#17 Märkische Buckow, 1960s

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#18 Märkische Buckow, 1960s

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#19 Marktplatz in Greifswald, 1960s

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#20 Moritzburg Schloss near Dresden, 1960s

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#21 Ruins of a Dresden Castle, 1960s

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#22 Sportshall on Stalin Allé in East Berlin, 1960s

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#23 Mayor of Stalinstadt, 1960s

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#24 Stalinstadt in 1960.

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#25 Stalinstadt in 1960.

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#26 Stalinstadt in 1960.

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#27 Stalinstadt in 1960.

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#28 Stalinstadt in 1960.

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#29 Stalinstadt in 1960.

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#30 Stalinstadt in 1960.

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#31 Stalinstadt in 1960.

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#32 Steglitz town hall in Berlin, 1960s

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#33 Süsow Krk Schule, 1960s

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#34 The road to Wartburg, 1960s

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#35 Tower by the Augustine Monastery in Erfurt, 1960s

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#36 Treptow Park in East Berlin, 1960s

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#37 Using sheep as municipal lawnmowers in Dresden, 1960s

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#38 View from Wartburg near Eisenach, 1960s

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#39 View of Eisenach from Hainstein, 1960s

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#40 Wartburg Castle, Eisenach, 1960s

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#41 Wartburg in 1960.

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#42 Wittenberg Marktplatz, statues of Luther & Melanchton, 1960s

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#43 Wittenberg, Lutherhaus, 1960s

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#44 Wittenberg, Luther’s Well, 1960s

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#45 Zwinger Palace in Dresden, 1960s

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#46 Zwinger Palace in Dresden, 1960s

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#47 Banner advertising a ‘Contemporary Soviet Art’ exhibition in Dresden, 1960s

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#48 Berlin’s Hansaviertel, 1960s

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#49 Kirche zur Frohen Botschaft in Berlin, 1960s

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#50 Berlin’s Kurfürstendamm, 1960s

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#51 Berlin seen from Corbusier Haus, 1960s

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#52 Buckow N-D Konvent, 1960s

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#53 Burckhardthaus Kirche in Berlin, 1960s

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#54 Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin, 1960s

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#55 Church of Peter and Paul in Eisleben, 1960s

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#56 East Berlin Skyline, 1960s.

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#57 East Berlin with Berlin Cathedral and GDR Foreign Office, 1960s.

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#58 Bomb Damage in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#59 Brandenburg Gate from the East in Berlin, 1960s.

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#60 Checkpoint Charlie in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#61 Checkpoint Charlie in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#62 Flats Damaged and Repaired in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#63 House of the Teacher in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#64 Karl Marx Allee Shops in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#65 Karl Marx Allee in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#66 The land adjoining Wilhelmstraße in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#67 Neue Wache – The East German Volksarmee changing the guard in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#68 New Flats in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#69 St. Hedwig’s R.C. Cathedral in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#70 Strausberger Platz Fountain in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#71 Strausberger Platz in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#72 The Brandenburg Gate in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#73 The Former Arsenal, now the German Historical Museum in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#74 The Former Prussian House of Commons in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#75 The French Cathedral in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#76 The Old Library, now the Faculty of Law of Humboldt University in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#77 The Berlin Wall as seen from Stresemannstraße in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#78 Unrestored apartment buildings in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#79 A view of Unter den Linden in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#80 Unter den Linden street scene in East Berlin, 1960s.

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#81 Wilhelmstraße intersection near the Philharmonie in East Berlin, 1960s.

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