Tierpark: Vintage Zoo & Animal Posters

As the dust of WWII settled, Germany was split in two. A wall separated the western side from the Soviet sponsored German Democratic Republic. Berlin’s famous Zoological Gardens were on the west side of the wall, out of reach for the citizens of East Germany. On the former grounds of Friedrichsfelde Palace, the East German state created a rival to the Zoological Gardens, Tierpark.

With more than 120 species including Siberian tigers and Asian elephants, Tierpark was the GDR’s crown jewel. Prominent East German artists like Horst Naumann and Rerner Zeigert were enlisted to create advertising posters for the new zoo. The famous posters depict the animals of the zoo and are characterised by bright colours and simple composition.