GDR bread frozen for 36 years exhibited in Berlin

The Deutschlandmuseum in Berlin has unveiled a new exhibition featuring a loaf of bread that was baked in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and frozen for nearly four decades. The bread was purchased by Berlin resident Michael Hagedorn on June 26, 1990, just five days before the East German mark was replaced by the Western Deutsche Mark.

Hagedorn and his wife had no idea the loaf would become a historical artifact; they simply needed bread and decided to buy a second loaf for 80 pfennig at the cooperative supermarket Konsum. They stored the loaf in their East German Foron fridge-freezer and continued changing the plastic bag it was kept in over the years as the pair's family moved house twice.

The loaf, dubbed "The Last Bread of the DDR," is now displayed in a special case with sub-zero temperatures within the museum, accompanied by the Hagedorn family's slice-of-life story that brings the historical changes to life. Hagedorn expressed relief at finally getting rid of the bread, but the story highlights the ordinary experiences of life in the GDR that now provide insight into the era's events.

Visitors can view the frozen loaf and more for 17 euros, contributing to the IamExpat's mission to provide free, reliable, and accessible information to internationals in Germany.