Mödlareuth (district of Hof in Upper Franconia/ Saale-Orla district), Germany, November 11, 2025. For decades, Mödlareuth – a small village of 50 inhabitants located on the border between the German federal states of Bavaria and Thuringia – was a symbol of the division of Germany. The day before yesterday, on the thirty-sixth anniversary of the fall of the Wall, an annex to the Deutsch-Deutsches Museum (the ‘German-German border museum’) was officially opened. Overlooking remnants of the wall, the watch tower, and the border strip, the new building brings Germany’s history to life with a multimedia exposition on an area of 1,350 square meters. Drees & Sommer managed the project on behalf of the special-purpose entity Museums-Zweckverband. The Stuttgart-based company, that specializes in real estate and infrastructure consulting, organized the planner selection process, was responsible for grant management, the contract awards process and anti-claim management, and prepared an operating cost study for the new museum building.
Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush referred to Mödlareuth as ‘Little Berlin’ during his visit in 1983 – and the nickname stuck. Like the capital city 300 kilometers away, for four decades the little village of Mödlareuth was dissected by a 700-meter long wall. Only a few meters separated the 34 inhabitants on the eastern side from the 21 in the West, but for decades they were not able to visit their friends and relatives. Today, Mödlareuth is a magnet for visitors. Around 80,000 people come every year to see where once the border stood and how it impacted the everyday lives of residents on both sides. The Tannbach – a small, narrow stream running through the middle of the village – became an uncrossable line dividing East from West and disregarding family ties and friendships.
Why this happened, and the historical context, is explained to visitors in the Deutsch-Deutsches Museum. However, for a long time the old building had been insufficient to cope with the tourist crowds. Oliver Bär, district administrator of the district of Hof and chairperson of the Zweckverband Deutsch-Deutsches Museum Mödlareuth, explained: “We wanted to cater for the growing interest by means of a building that is not only functional, but also does justice to the place – a museum that blends perfectly into the village and also provides an insight into the history that is preserved here.“
Up till now, a small former manor house in the middle of the village served as the main building of the museum. However, rising numbers of visitors, the shortage of space for permanent and special exhibitions, the lack of a contemporary and modern permanent exhibition, the need for suitable educational spaces and an adequate infrastructure for visitors made restructuring and extension work necessary. The work included the newly opened annex and the careful restructuring of the outdoor area.
Building a Perspective on History
The tranquil village of Mödlareuth is nestled between meadows and woods. So, the aim was to harmoniously integrate the new building into the landscape. The winner of the design competition, Kassel-based architectural firm ATELIER 30, was anxious not to build a colossal structure, but a building that would blend into its surroundings. The result is a narrow timber-frame construction, which incorporates and reinterprets features of barn constructions. The floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows offer an unrestricted view of the border strip; the wall and watchtower remain the focus of attention. This makes it viscerally clear how the division affected people’s everyday lives. For the façade, the designers chose mainly oiled spruce wood, which is environmentally sustainable and gives the building a warm look. The green roof helps the building to merge into its environment and also serves as a habitat for insects. Photovoltaic panels on the roof of the building and a geothermal heat pump ensure sustainable energy supply. The warmth generated is retained by triple-glazed windows.
Since end-2020, Maximilian Loos, Drees & Sommer’s expert in cultural buildings, has been supervising all phases of the ambitious project: from the selection and steering of all planning participants, through a complex grant management to the contract award process and operating cost analysis. With proactive claim prevention and management it has been possible to identify early and minimize any potential conflicts in the construction phase. “We have coordinated the interests of all parties involved and secured a transparent flow of information. So, we have been able to significantly contribute to the smooth running of processes and the adherence to deadlines,“ says project head Maximilian Loos. The operating cost forecast helps to ensure that the subsequent operation of the museum will be economically sustainable.
The total cost of the construction project was estimated at approximately 22 million euros, and this was not exceeded during the construction period. The German Government and the Free State of Bavaria each contributed 5.6 million euros, and the Free State of Thuringia granted 800,000 euros. The Upper Franconian Foundation (Oberfrankenstiftung) sponsored the project with four million euros, and the Bavarian State Foundation (Bayerische Landesstiftung) provided 500,000 euros.
Four Decades of History on 500 Square Meters
Even before the new building began to take shape, the careful redesign of the outdoor area had begun. There, in addition to the village’s border fortifications originally retained, the museum now also shows a reconstruction of the multi-level border fortifications of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), with their land and structural elements. Places of historical interest in the village, such as former escape routes, are pointed out.
To look into the new building is to look into a space full of history. On around 1,350 square meters, visitors will be able to discover how people lived in the decades of German partition. The new permanent exhibition will take up almost 500 square meters of this space. Meters-high display stands, standing like remnants of the wall, will guide visitors through the four decades from the end of the war up to reunification. Further rooms will provide new spaces for visitor management and temporary exhibitions and an opportunity for the museum to display its extensive archive materials. A bistro is also part of the new building.
Not Observing but Experiencing
“In the new annex, we will not only be telling the story of the division of Germany, but making it come alive for different age groups. Text panels and display cases are no longer enough to capture people’s interest,” comments Robert Lebegern, who has been director of the museum since 1992. Instead, the new permanent exhibition in Mödlareuth will focus on visual and digital narratives: “Around 180 photographs, 20 movies, and virtual reality formats can bring the years of German partition to life. Visitors can immerse themselves in historical scenes, listen to witness accounts in video interviews, and examine a 3-D model of the village,” he adds. The museum also offers customized tours and events for school classes, as well as project days and multi-day workshops.