Tränenpalast

Palace of Tears: the departure hall at Friedrichstraße Station

Shortly after the Berlin Wall was built, a customs hall for travelers departing from East Berlin to the West was erected at Friedrichstraße Station in 1962. In front of the steel and glass pavilion, families and friends said goodbye, often without knowing when they would see each other again. Because of these farewells, Berliners soon called the building the Tränenpalast (Palace of Tears).

Today, the Tränenpalast is part of the Foundation Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (House of History of the Federal Republic of Germany). The ground-level hall is approximately 550 square meters, and the distinctive glass facade with its curved roof has been preserved. Since 2011, it has housed the permanent exhibition „Tränenpalast. Place of German Division”.

Passport control, contemporary witnesses, and over 550 objects

The exhibition displays over 550 objects and documents on everyday life in divided Germany. In interviews, contemporary witnesses describe their experiences of farewells, maintaining contact across the border, or fighting for their departure. Particularly impressive is the walk-in original passport control booth, where visitors can experience the cramped conditions of the customs process themselves.

Admission is free, as are the audio guide and public guided tours in German. Groups of ten or more people can book free guided tours in ten languages; tours in plain language are also available. The exhibition is barrier-free, with a tactile overview map, audio description, and audio guide in German Sign Language.