Gedenkstätte Seelower Höhen

About the museum

In the spring of 1945, the Seelow Heights on the edge of the Oderbruch were meant to halt the Red Army's advance on Berlin. In the battle that began on April 16, Soviet and Polish troops fought the Wehrmacht; very many soldiers died before the heights fell and the road to Berlin lay open. In May, Marshal Zhukov commissioned the sculptors Lev Kerbel and Vladimir Tsigal to create monuments along the line of advance; on November 27, 1945, the memorial with a burial site for fallen Red Army soldiers was dedicated in Seelow – one of the first Soviet monuments outside the Soviet Union.

In the GDR, the site was used for wreath-laying ceremonies, oath-taking ceremonies and youth gatherings. By December 27, 1972, it had been expanded into the "Memorial of Liberation": on a new lower level, a museum whose design recalls Zhukov's command bunker, a utility building and a square with heavy military equipment were built. In 1985, a semicircular entrance area and a new exhibition were added, which followed the state's interpretation of history entirely.

After 1990, this presentation was removed and the commemoration was reoriented. An exhibition opened in 1995 put more focus on the German fallen; the current permanent exhibition of 2012 tells in three chapters of the fighting between the Oder and Berlin, of the creation of the memorial and of the changing culture of remembrance. The institution, run by the district of Märkisch-Oderland, also keeps a collection of equipment, weapons, photographs and personal papers and offers educational projects for school classes.

Highlights

• Memorial by Lev Kerbel (1945) with a Soviet war cemetery
• Museum building in the shape of Zhukov's command bunker
• Permanent exhibition with eyewitness interviews and media stations
• Panoramic view over the Oderbruch and the former battlefield
• Documentary films and a slide-and-sound presentation at the relief map in several languages

Permanent exhibitions

• Von der Oder nach Berlin – Dauerausstellung – The bilingual exhibition covers the fighting in the spring of 1945, the creation of the memorial and the changing culture of remembrance after 1990, deepened by media stations and eyewitnesses.
• Außenanlage mit Ehrenmal und Kriegsgräberstätte – On two levels are the Kerbel monument with the soldiers' cemetery, heavy military equipment and eleven multilingual panels on the individual elements of the grounds.

Founded

1972

Operated by

Landkreis Märkisch-Oderland

Admission & discounts

The prices apply to the museum; the outdoor grounds and visitor center are free. Free admission also for school classes from the district of Märkisch-Oderland on visits for educational purposes.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description: no information

People with mobility impairments can get in and out at the forecourt; from there, accessible access to the visitor center, museum and outdoor grounds. Accessible parking spaces on the lower level. Basic information in Easy Language on the website.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kids

Memorial site for the Battle of 1945; the educational programs are aimed at school classes. Children and young people have free admission.

Getting there & parking

Check the operating days for bus connections.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop with German- and English-language literature on World War II and the memorial as well as souvenirs; visitor center accessible free of charge.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit