Quest for Women*

The history of Friedrichshain is shaped by diversity and a rich cultural past. Yet this history remains incomplete, as women and alternative cultural spaces are often overlooked. While new streets are named after notable women, gentrification continues to shape the district at a rapid pace. Familiar places of gathering, self-organised initiatives, and spaces that once allowed for experimentation and dissent are disappearing. The loss of these spaces undermines the district’s unique alternative character and threatens the cohesion of its local community.

With Quest for Women*, we aim to counteract this transformation. Our goal is to raise awareness of often-overlooked women's history and the loss of cultural spaces. By immersing themselves in local stories, players not only discover the fascinating lives of inspiring women, but also gain insights into how the neighbourhood is changing due to gentrification.

Participating in the game offers a chance to bring history to life and feel the connection between past and present. This shared experience of remembering strengthens the sense of belonging and contributes to preserving the district’s cultural identity—especially at a time when alternative spaces are increasingly under threat.

The first guided game will take place on 1 May 2025, supported by game facilitators. From 2 May, the game will be available as a downloadable brochure at www.ambasadapolek.org.

With Quest for Women*, we take a stand: we honour the women who shaped our history while actively resisting the loss of cultural diversity in our district.

Project by:
Art and Graphics: Anna Krenz
Biographies and texts in German: Ewa Maria Slaska

TAMARA DANZ

Tamara Danz (1952–1996) was one of East Germany’s most iconic rock singers and the charismatic frontwoman of the band Silly. Born in Winne (now part of Breitungen/Werra), she spent parts of her childhood in Bulgaria and Romania due to her father's diplomatic work. After leaving her philology studies and being rejected by the Hanns Eisler music school, she pursued music independently—first with the Horst Krüger Band, and later with Silly, joining in 1978.

Danz quickly rose to fame, winning multiple awards as Best Rock Singer in the GDR. Beyond music, she became politically active. In 1989, she co-initiated a public resolution by musicians demanding reforms in the GDR and joined efforts for democratic change. In the 1990s, she wrote most of the lyrics for Silly’s albums Hurensöhne and Paradies. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995, she passed away in 1996 and is buried in Münchehofe near Berlin.

ANNEMIRL BAUER

Annemirl Bauer (1939–1989) was a German painter and graphic artist known for her critical stance against the East German regime. Born in Jena, she studied ceramics and later painting and graphic design in Berlin. After graduating, she joined the official artists' association (VBK) and completed public commissions. From the late 1970s, she openly criticised the GDR’s repressive policies, rejecting collaboration with the Stasi. In 1984, her demand for freedom of travel and protest against human rights abuses led to her expulsion from the VBK, effectively banning her from working. She faced surveillance, harassment, and isolation. Despite this, she continued to create art using unconventional materials, often drawing on feminist themes. Reinstated in the VBK in 1986, she briefly travelled west but returned to East Berlin. Bauer died of cancer in 1989. Her legacy includes over 16,000 works and strong political engagement through art.

GABRIELE TERGIT

Gabriele Tergit (pseudonym of Elise Reifenberg, née Hirschmann, 1894–1982) was a German-British writer and journalist known for her sharp court reporting and the satirical novel Käsebier Takes Berlin. Born in Berlin into a Jewish family, she studied history, sociology, and philosophy, earning a PhD in 1923. She worked for Berliner Tageblatt and Weltbühne, focusing on social injustices, including abortion laws. Persecuted by the Nazis, she fled in 1933, eventually settling in London. Her novel Effingers (1951) spans 70 years of German-Jewish family history. Tergit was also secretary of the PEN Centre for German-speaking writers in exile. In exile, she remained a critical observer of both Nazism and Zionism, advocating for peaceful coexistence in Palestine. Her work was rediscovered in the 21st century for its literary and historical value.

HILDEGARD JADAMOWITZ

Hildegard “Hilde” Jadamowitz (1916–1942) was a German communist resistance fighter against Nazism. Born in Berlin-Neukölln, she grew up with her sister in the care of their Jewish grandmother. After joining the Communist Youth at 15, she became active in underground political work, especially after 1933. She worked as a factory laborer and later as a radiology assistant in Tegel, secretly helping persecuted individuals with supplies and support. Jadamowitz lived and operated in Berlin, with strong ties to resistance groups including the Herbert-Baum and Uhrig-Römer circles. On 18 May 1942, she took part in the arson attack on the anti-Soviet propaganda exhibition “The Soviet Paradise” in Lustgarten. She was arrested days later by the Gestapo and sentenced to death by the Volksgerichtshof. On 18 August 1942, she was executed in Plötzensee prison. In recognition of her courage, a street in Friedrichshain has borne her name since 1957. Memorial plaques also honour her in Neukölln, Lustgarten, and Weißensee.

LUDMILLA HERZENSTEIN

Ludmilla Herzenstein (1906–1994) was a German architect, urban planner, and children’s book author of Russian origin. After studying architecture in Berlin, she collaborated with major figures like Bruno Taut and Heinrich Tessenow. Following WWII, she joined Hans Scharoun’s urban planning team, helping to rebuild war-torn Berlin. Her most notable contribution in Friedrichshain was co-designing two Laubenganghäuser (gallery-access apartment buildings) on the then Stalinallee, now Karl-Marx-Allee, in 1949–50. These modernist buildings were part of the “Wohnzelle Friedrichshain,” a key early postwar reconstruction project that blended functionality with expressive design. Herzenstein later led housing and urban planning departments in East Berlin, playing a crucial role in rebuilding and reshaping the city. Her legacy in Friedrichshain remains visible today in the iconic architecture of Karl-Marx-Allee. She also authored Das neugierige Entlein, a beloved children’s book first written in 1945.

GAME PREMIERE:

1 May 2025
START: 12:00 PM | Tamara-Danz-Straße 11, 10243 Berlin
Final Meeting Point: Asmen Bakery, Hildegard-Jadamowitz-Str. 18, 10243 Berlin

2:00 PM | Book signing with writers Claudia von Gélieu and Tanja Dückers

Project funded by the Cultural Projects Grant of the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg District
Supported with funds from the Cultural Project Fund for 1 May