Tränenpalast

The Tränenpalast ("Palace of Tears") in Berlin-Mitte is the colloquial name for the former departure hall of the border crossing at Friedrichstraße station. The building opened in 1962 and served as a checkpoint for travelers leaving East Germany for the West by S-Bahn, U-Bahn, or long-distance train. The name comes from the emotional farewells that East Germans and their Western visitors often said here in tears, since it was uncertain whether they would ever see each other again without freedom to travel. Architecturally, the building was designed by Horst Lüderitz and Günter Matzko. With its freestanding steel-and-glass structure and ceramic cladding, it was meant to give the impression of modern international architecture and disguise its true function as a strict border control point.

During the division of Germany, only departing passengers were allowed to enter. Processing took place in several stages: first came a preliminary check by East German People's Police officers, followed by a customs inspection in which the export of East German currency and goods was checked and bags were searched. At the back of the hall were processing counters where passports and visas were closely examined. Once cleared, travelers could enter the western part of the station. Entry into East Berlin, by contrast, did not go through this hall but through the regular station facilities.

After reunification, the listed building was first used as a club before being turned into a memorial site in 2011. Today the Tränenpalast houses the permanent exhibition "Everyday Life in Divided Germany" ("Alltag der deutschen Teilung") by the Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland foundation. Across 550 square meters, the exhibition uses original objects, reconstructed processing booths, and interviews with eyewitnesses to illustrate life at the border and the milestones of the reunification process. Admission to this memorial is free.