Around 1.4 million people celebrated the 25th anniversary of German reunification at a huge public festival from 2 to 4 October in Frankfurt. Thousands of people visited the exhibition organised by the Bundesbank and the City of Frankfurt to learn about German monetary union.

Germany marked the 25th anniversary of German reunification with a huge public celebration in Frankfurt from 2 to 4 October. A large number of booths and tents lined the streets of city centre and the banks of the River Main during the festival, with all 16 federal states, the Bundestag, the Bundesrat, the Federal Government and other public and private institutions represented. The Press and Information Office of the City of Frankfurt and the Bundesbank organised a joint exhibition about German monetary union in Frankfurt's "Römerhalle" (city hall) and presented a video series called "FRANKFURTinsights – the 1,000 wonders of Frankfurt".

"The exhibition also reminds us that Frankfurt was the starting point for a huge step on the path to German unity," said Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann as he and Frankfurt's Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann opened the event together. Within just a few months, the Bundesbank had organised German monetary union. Starting in Frankfurt, a key contribution was thus made to German reunification, Mr Weidmann remarked. More than 10,000 visitors took the opportunity to find out how cash was transported to the GDR and how the changeover to the Deutsche Mark took place. A display case showing old Deutsche Mark coins and banknotes and cash from the GDR proved a popular motif for photographs. During the exhibition, Bundesbank staff were on hand to explain to visitors the tasks the bank now performs as part of the Eurosystem. They also answered questions about counterfeit money and popular Bundesbank publications such as the children's book "Dem Geld auf der Spur" ("All eyes on the money trail").

Rare inside views

In the exhibition, the video series "FRANKFURTinsights" gives visitors rare insights into the city. "From firefighters to ice hockey players – Frankfurters provide personal insights into their city in the series," said Lord Mayor Feldmann.

The Bundesbank also opened its doors to viewers: a new film shows viewers where the President of the Bundesbank works, for example, and where gold is stored and old money shredded. All episodes of the video series that have been shown so far can also be viewed under the link below. The last part of the series featuring scenes of the Bundesbank will be available online from October. Those interested could already watch extracts from the video at the exhibition.

Bundesbank exhibiting iconic photograph by Barbara Klemm

Alongside the exhibition at the Römerhalle, the Bundesbank also took part in a public art exhibition. To mark the celebrations of German reunification, the Cultural Office of the City of Frankfurt, together with numerous institutions and businesses, exhibited works by the photographer Barbara Klemm. The Frankfurter took impressive pictures of the division and reunification of Germany, which shape the memory of that period to this day. A banner with a large-format photo was recently hung on the facade of the Bundesbank's Regional Office in Frankfurt, showing the celebrations at the Brandenburg Gate on the evening of 9 November 1989. The photo series continued at the new European Central Bank building and other buildings in the city. As public artworks, the photographer's pieces invited all those interested to take a stroll through history in Frankfurt.