Berlin on Camera

Berlin pulsates – yesterday as it does today. For over a century, the press has mirrored the rhythm of the metropolis: its dynamics, its contradictions, its insatiable hunger for stories – and above all, for images. Photography transformed journalism. The exhibition “Berlin on Camera – 100 Years of Photography and the Press” takes visitors right into the interplay between journalism, photography, and urban life.

From the dynamic 1920s to the present day, the exhibition traces how photographs have changed the media landscape: they shape the perception of Berlin and the rhythm of the news. At the height of the historic newspaper district, up to 147 daily newspapers were published – some even twice a day.
Portable cameras and faster printing techniques revolutionized the press and helped define the early days of photo journalism. With them came a new profession: press photography. But who are the people behind the camera? What does it mean to be a photographer on an editorial assignment?

The exhibition shows how closely images and reports are intertwined – from the fundamental right to freedom of expression in the Weimar Republic, through censorship and propaganda during the Nazi regime, to the divided city and the different journalistic landscapes of East and West Berlin. Themes such as politics, sports, city life, and crime reflect not only journalistic interests but also the societal values and conflicts of their time.

Historical photographs from the bpk photo archive, newspapers from the collection of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (Berlin State Library), and contemporary works by photographers from the renowned OSTKREUZ agency illustrate how the visual language of press photography has changed while remaining an expression of urban life.

The photo exhibition at Stabi Kulturwerk showcases the diversity, dynamics, and history of Berlin’s press photography – a visual journey through a century of urban history in tune with the pulse of the metropolis.