Revolutionary Romances? Global Art Histories in the GDR looks at East Germany’s relations—
rooted in a spirit of friendship and revolution—with its socialist “sister” countries in Asia, Africa, and
Latin America. The concepts of “international solidarity” and “friendship between nations” had
an inherent geopolitical agenda: as such, they not only determined East Germany’s foreign policy
but also supported a multitude of transcultural contacts and became a key focus of propaganda
and the visual arts in the GDR. The book accompanying the exhibition of the same name presents
themes and motifs of actual and putative “revolutionary romances”, including the ideals and
icons of socialist internationalism, artistic protests against war and violence, travel images, mail
art, and works produced by foreign art students in East Germany.
Mathias Wagner is an art historian and conservator at the Albertinum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen
Dresden. Hilke Wagner is an art historian and director of the Albertinum, Staatliche Kunst-
sammlungen Dresden. Kerstin Schankweiler is a professor for visual studies in a global context
in the Institute of Art and Music at TUD Dresden University of Technology. Kathleen Reinhardt is
an art historian and director of the Georg Kolbe Museum, Berlin.
rooted in a spirit of friendship and revolution—with its socialist “sister” countries in Asia, Africa, and
Latin America. The concepts of “international solidarity” and “friendship between nations” had
an inherent geopolitical agenda: as such, they not only determined East Germany’s foreign policy
but also supported a multitude of transcultural contacts and became a key focus of propaganda
and the visual arts in the GDR. The book accompanying the exhibition of the same name presents
themes and motifs of actual and putative “revolutionary romances”, including the ideals and
icons of socialist internationalism, artistic protests against war and violence, travel images, mail
art, and works produced by foreign art students in East Germany.
Mathias Wagner is an art historian and conservator at the Albertinum, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen
Dresden. Hilke Wagner is an art historian and director of the Albertinum, Staatliche Kunst-
sammlungen Dresden. Kerstin Schankweiler is a professor for visual studies in a global context
in the Institute of Art and Music at TUD Dresden University of Technology. Kathleen Reinhardt is
an art historian and director of the Georg Kolbe Museum, Berlin.
