In East Germany, strict artistic censorship prevailed, yet film posters subtly thrived, becoming a unique canvas for veiled expression and creativity.

As the dust of WWII settled, Germany was split in two. A wall separated the western side from the Soviet sponsored east, the German Democratic Republic. A satellite state of the USSR, East Germany forbade its citizens to travel abroad. It also exerted an iron fist when it came to art.

Film posters escaped the censors’ eye. They were considered a minor discipline, no more than decoration. East German artists like Otto Kummert and Erhard Grüttner created surprisingly dreamlike film posters which increasingly became more abstract, until a single sign or symbol could represent an entire movie.

East German Poster by W. Traus - Blue book and circle depicting time travel (1970)East German Poster by W. Traus - Blue book and circle depicting time travel (1970), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Journey Through Time

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1970

Journey Through Time

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1970

East German Poster - Young couple kisses in blue against orange background (1966)East German Poster - Young couple kisses in blue against orange background (1966), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Between Greed & Love

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1966

Between Greed & Love

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1966

East German Poster by H. Naumann - Black panther prowls on green field (1963)East German Poster by H. Naumann - Black panther prowls on green field (1963), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Tierpark Berlin

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1963

Tierpark Berlin

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1963

East German Poster - Desert scene rendered in scorching orange tones (1984)East German Poster - Desert scene rendered in scorching orange tones (1984), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Karakum, 45 Degrees, in the Shade

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1984

Karakum, 45 Degrees, in the Shade

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1984

Frau Luna – East Germany Theatre poster from 1970s featuring a smiling female moon and several men moons with mustache with black and yellow tones.Frau Luna – East Germany Theatre poster from 1970s featuring a smiling female moon and several men moons with mustache with black and yellow tones, framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Frau Luna

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1970s

Frau Luna

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1970s

East German Poster by Grohmann - Majestic condor rendered in blue tones (1965)East German Poster by Grohmann - Majestic condor rendered in blue tones (1965), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Tierpark Berlin

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1965

Tierpark Berlin

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1965

East German Poster by M. Clauts - Green female figure against red backdrop (1985)East German Poster by M. Clauts - Green female figure against red backdrop (1985), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Death on the Outskirts

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1985

Death on the Outskirts

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1985

East German Poster by Steiff - Elephant walks across yellow background (1972)East German Poster by Steiff - Elephant walks across yellow background (1972), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Tierpark Berlin

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1972

Tierpark Berlin

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1972

East German Poster - Green bear rides motorcycle across dual-panel design (1960s)East German Poster - Green bear rides motorcycle across dual-panel design (1960s), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Circus

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1960s

Circus

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1960s

Star Trek – East Germany Science fiction poster from 1986 by Schulz Ilabowski featuring a man in space in black and yellow.Star Trek – East Germany Science fiction poster from 1986 by Schulz Ilabowski featuring a man in space in black and yellow, framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Star Trek

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1986

Star Trek

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1986

East German Poster by Brucknete - Waves and moon against black background (1963)East German Poster by Brucknete - Waves and moon against black background (1963), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Folk Creation

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1963

Folk Creation

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1963

East German Poster - Black boxer with orange accents (1973)East German Poster - Black boxer with orange accents (1973), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

The Great White Hope

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1973

The Great White Hope

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1973

Wonder Doctor – East Germany film Poster from 1983 by Senulz / Larowsk featuring a man with three eyes which shine orange beams of lightWonder Doctor – East Germany film Poster from 1983 by Senulz / Larowsk featuring a man with three eyes which shine orange beams of light, framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Wonder Doctor

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1983

Wonder Doctor

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1983

East German poster (1968) – Features a woman dancing in white.East German poster (1968) – Features a woman dancing in white, framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Skopje Song and Dance Ensemble

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1968

Skopje Song and Dance Ensemble

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1968

East German Poster by K. Richehol - White polar bear stands upright against blank background (1975)East German Poster by K. Richehol - White polar bear stands upright against blank background (1975), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Tierpark Berlin

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1975

Tierpark Berlin

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1975

East German Poster by Steiff - Ducks rendered in blue, green, and orange silkscreen (1983)East German Poster by Steiff - Ducks rendered in blue, green, and orange silkscreen (1983), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Tierpark Berlin

Silkscreen/paper

East Germany, 1983

Tierpark Berlin

Silkscreen/paper

East Germany, 1983

East German Poster by H. Brade - Black hand strangling grey duck in stark composition (1984)East German Poster by H. Brade - Black hand strangling grey duck in stark composition (1984), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

The Scorpion

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1984

The Scorpion

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1984

East German Poster - Red sun looms over black bear in wilderness scene (1965)East German Poster - Red sun looms over black bear in wilderness scene (1965), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

In the Land of Black Bears

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1965

In the Land of Black Bears

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1965

The Lonely White Sail – East Germany Film poster from 1978 by Schafer featuring a boat and cannon on blue water.The Lonely White Sail – East Germany Film poster from 1978 by Schafer featuring a boat and cannon on blue water, framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

The Lonely White Sail

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1978

The Lonely White Sail

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1978

Hellabrunn – East Germany Zoo poster from 1960 by Michael Kiefer featuring a leopard in black.Hellabrunn – East Germany Zoo poster from 1960 by Michael Kiefer featuring a leopard in black, framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Hellabrunn

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1960

Hellabrunn

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1960

East German Poster - Woman in orange hat for Einstein-themed film (1971)East German Poster - Woman in orange hat for Einstein-themed film (1971), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

I Killed Einstein, Gentlemen

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1971

I Killed Einstein, Gentlemen

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1971

East German Poster - Car in green maze with tiger's eye (1967)East German Poster - Car in green maze with tiger's eye (1967), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

The Tiger Attacks

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1967

The Tiger Attacks

Offset/paper

East Germany, 1967

German Poster by W. Schwerdtfeger - Typography in rainbow colors on grey (1974)German Poster by W. Schwerdtfeger - Typography in rainbow colors on grey (1974), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

Horizons

Offset/paper

Germany, 1974

Horizons

Offset/paper

Germany, 1974

East German Poster by H. Brade - Orange silkscreen featuring rooster and hen (1978)East German Poster by H. Brade - Orange silkscreen featuring rooster and hen (1978), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight

The Poster

Silkscreen/paper

East Germany, 1978

The Poster

Silkscreen/paper

East Germany, 1978