Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è Pasta... E Pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Green-Wood Cemetery, overlooking New York Harbor.
Where Our Team Looked for Joy During Pandemic Lockdowns
The 2,653-mile-long Pacific Crest Trail spans the entire West Coast from Canada to Mexico.
Meet the Volunteers Who Keep Thru-Hikers Moving
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House building on the U.S.-Canadian border.
Could New Border Restrictions Literally Tear the Haskell Free Library Apart?
A woman peering into the cave of Sarah Bishop c. 1900.
The Curious History of New England’s Hermit Tourism

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Germany Berlin German-Russian Museum

German-Russian Museum

A museum in the building where Nazi Germany signed its surrender tells the story of World War II from the Soviet perspective.

Berlin, Germany

Added By
Kris Best
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Entrance hall to the Karlshorst Museum.   gypsyblue / Atlas Obscura User
Museum building.   gypsyblue / Atlas Obscura User
T-34 tank inscribed with “For the Motherland.”   gypsyblue / Atlas Obscura User
Wall painting showing Allied solidarity against Hitler.   gypsyblue / Atlas Obscura User
Original map from the desk in Hitler’s bunker.   gypsyblue / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Deep in the former East Berlin, the German-Russian Museum (also known as the Karlshorst Museum) is like a little piece of the Soviet Union that has been frozen in time. It can be easy to forget here that you're not actually in Moscow.

Old-school Soviet patriotism is on full display. Visitors are greeted at the door by a Soviet T-34 tank inscribed with the phrase "за родину"—"For the Motherland." Marble monuments from the era adorn the halls, praising the heroes of the Soviet Union who gave their lives to stop the spread of the "fascist plague."

The unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany was signed in this building in May of 1945, and this museum certainly wants you to know it. The "capitulation room" has been recreated for visitors, where an original video of the German high command signing its surrender plays on elevated TV screens in an infinite loop.

The exhibition rooms tell the story of World War II (or the "Great Patriotic War") from the Soviet perspective, making it a must-see for any history buffs who can't make it all the way to Moscow. The focus is often on the heroism of the Red Army and the suffering of the Soviet civilian population, including a very moving exhibition on the Siege of Leningrad.

Highlights of the collection include a map of Berlin snatched from the desk in Hitler's bunker, on which Hitler and his inner circle marked the Soviet advance on the city in the last days of the war. The museum building itself also served as the headquarters of the Soviet occupation forces throughout the Cold War, and many of these rooms have been preserved for visitors.

Related Tags

World War Ii Soviet History War History Museums Communism Nazis Military

Know Before You Go

Entrance is free. The museum is accessible from public transit using the S3 from central Berlin. From the S-Bahn station Berlin-Karlshorst, take the bus 296 and get off at the "Museum Karlshorst" stop.

Community Contributors

Added By

gypsyblue

Published

September 13, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
German-Russian Museum
4 Zwieseler Str.
Berlin
Germany
52.4862, 13.53945
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Friedrichsfelde Socialist Cemetery

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Archenhold Observatory

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Schrotkugelturm (Shot Ball Tower)

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Berlin

Berlin

Germany

Places 140
Stories 18

Nearby Places

Friedrichsfelde Socialist Cemetery

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Archenhold Observatory

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Schrotkugelturm (Shot Ball Tower)

Berlin, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Berlin

Berlin

Germany

Places 140
Stories 18

Related Places

  • Memorial cross near the soldiers’ graves.

    Kristiansand, Norway

    Executed Russian POWs' Memorial Graves

    Five soviet prisoners of war were executed at this spot just days before the liberation of Norway.

  • Schorfheide, Germany

    Finowfurt Aviation Museum

    This former Soviet military base has over 10 original aircraft and an enormous amount of memorabilia on display.

  • Bunker BS-8.

    Bratislava, Slovakia

    Bratislava’s Hidden Bunkers

    A line of disused military bunkers built to defend against Nazi invasion lies hidden on the outskirts of the city.

  • Balcony under the red star.

    Dolinka, Kazakhstan

    KarLag Memorial Museum

    A sober museum housed in the original administrative building of one of Stalin's largest gulags.

  • Looking up the inside of the memorial tower

    Novo Selo Palanječko, Croatia

    Monument to the Detachment in Brezovica Forest

    A tower marking the spot where Yugoslavia began its resistance against the invading Nazis stands neglected, but not quite forgotten.

  • Čačak, Serbia

    Čačak Mausoleum of Struggle and Victory

    This symbol of Yugoslav liberation decorated with 620 carved heads of mythical creatures is now a forlorn relic of another time.

  • Stjepan Filipović Monument.

    Valjevo, Serbia

    Stjepan Filipović Monument

    A tribute to a man who defied the Nazis until his last breath.

  • Display Cases

    La Rochelle, France

    Le Bunker De La Rochelle

    Under the streets of La Rochelle, a former wartime bunker holds some surprising secrets.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.