The air raids on Dresden from February 13 to 15, 1945 left devastating destruction in their wake, especially in the city center. Residential buildings, schools, utilities and churches were damaged or completely destroyed. New places of life, social interaction, industry and commerce quickly emerged, increasingly also on the outskirts of the city. The cultural institutions that had lost their historic venues in the city center found new alternative locations as early as the summer of 1945: the State Theatre, State Opera and State Orchestra in the rebuilt Tonhalle in Dresden-Neustadt or in the Kurhaus Bühlau, the Dresden Kreuzchor in the Weixdorf village church.

Dr. Stefan Dornheim, historian and research assistant at the Dresden City Archive, will give an introductory overview of the damage mapping, the first steps of the reconstruction and the development in individual parts of the city.

Prof. Thomas Kübler, Director of the City Archive, Dr. Matthias Lerm, Head of the City Planning Office, and Elisabeth Telle, employee of the Historical Archive of the Saxon State Theatres, will discuss the reconstruction of the war-damaged city of Dresden and the development of new centers.

Moderation: Lars Fiebig, Head of Cotta and Plauen Municipal District Office
 

The event is part of the series "Dresden 1945 - People of the City between Downfall and a New Beginning". It is embedded in the commemorative year Dresden 2025 - Future through Remembrance. Various formats and events will be used to broaden the perspective on 1945 as a whole.

Organizer: Division for Culture, Science and Tourism
Place: Kulturrathaus Dresden, Königstraße 15, 01097 Dresden
Registration under: www.kulturevents.dresden.de