The Berlin Wall: An Interactive Exhibition

The University of New England’s free public exhibition exploring the history of the Berlin Wall ran in the fall of 2010 at the George and Barbara Bush Center Gallery on UNE’s Biddeford Campus.

The Berlin Wall: An Interactive Exhibition was a presentation which provided a concise overview of the historical evolution of the wall dividing East Berlin from West Berlin, from its creation in August of 1961 to its demolition in October of 1989 and beyond. The exhibition included a compelling gallery display in conjunction with an interactive digital display. Via touch screen technology, users were able to access a wealth of in-depth resources on the subject. The electronic component presented images, sound, video footage and documents showing how the English-speaking world saw the Berlin Wall and its consequences, and how German reunification was achieved.

The exhibition complemented a talk given by former National Security Advisor General Brent Scowcroft on Sept. 24, 2010. General Scowcroft was instrumental in the 1989-1990 negotiations among the administrations of U.S. President George H. W. Bush, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev from the fall of 1989 through 1990. These negotiations resulted in one of the most important historical events of the 20th century–the peaceful reunification of East and West Germany.

The exhibition was a collaborative project led by the UNE Department of History with support from the UNE Library Services’ Department of Special Collections and the UNE Office of Communications.

For further information about this past exhibit, contact the Bush Center Gallery at (207) 602-2874, the Department of Special Collections at (207) 221-4324, or email cgurley@une.edu.