Clara-Zetkin-Gedenkstätte Birkenwerder
Residence of the politician and women's rights activist Clara Zetkin, with a small museum on the second floor and a bronze sculpture in the garden.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The house on Summter Straße was built in 1911/12 for the painter Karl Drabig, according to plans by the architect Emil Schaudt. In 1929, Konstantin Zetkin bought the property for his mother, the Reichstag member Clara Zetkin, who was looking for accommodation near the parliament. She lived here until early 1932, then moved to the Soviet Union.
After the National Socialists took power, the house was searched in March 1933, books were confiscated, and the property fell to the Prussian state. In 1949, the GDR transferred the estate to Zetkin's older son, Maxim. At his suggestion, the memorial was created in 1957 for the 100th birthday of his mother.
After reunification, the Round Table of Birkenwerder prevented the house from being removed from the list of protected monuments and repurposed for social use in February 1990; the house and property went to the municipality. Today several institutions share the building: in the basement, the Geschichtsstübchen (local history room) informs visitors about the town's history; the first floor houses the municipal library, and the second floor shows the Clara-Zetkin-Museum with personal belongings of the politician. In the garden stands a double sculpture by Gerhard Thieme, depicting Zetkin and Rosa Luxemburg. A friends' association maintains the memorial and organizes lectures and readings.
Key themes
- Personal belongings of Clara Zetkin in the museum on the second floor
- Art Nouveau villa from 1911/12 with a listed garden
- Bronze sculpture of Zetkin and Rosa Luxemburg in the garden
- Local history room in the basement
- Lectures and readings by the friends' association
Permanent exhibition
- Clara-Zetkin-Museum – On the second floor of the residence, personal belongings of the socialist and women's rights activist are on display.
- Founded
- 1957
- Operated by
- Gemeinde Birkenwerder
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission is free.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
By public transit
S-Bahnhof Birkenwerder
S-Bahn lines S1 and S8 to Birkenwerder; bus line 822.
Address: Summter Straße 4, 16547 Birkenwerder.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Good to know | Group visits by appointment, arranged by email. The friends' association organizes lectures, readings and discussion rounds. |
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