Robert Havemann Gesellschaft
Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft e.V. is a Berlin-based non-profit founded in 1993 that operates the Archive of GDR Opposition, preserving and providing public access to materials documenting resistance against the communist dictatorship in the German Democratic Republic. It serves academic researchers, journalists, educators, affected individuals, and the general public, funded primarily by German federal and Berlin state government grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Robert Havemann Gesellschaft does
Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft e.V. is a German non-profit registered association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 1993 and headquartered in Berlin. The organization operates the Archive of GDR Opposition (Archiv der DDR-Opposition), a public archive that collects, preserves, and provides access to materials documenting opposition and resistance against the communist dictatorship in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1945 to the present. The archive was formed from the merger of three independent archives of the East German opposition and civil movement, including the Matthias-Domaschk-Archiv and the Archiv GrauZone.
The organization's core product is a digital archive database enabling searchable access across multiple collection types: samisdat publications (over 160 titles), approximately 5,000 video cassettes covering GDR history from 1975 to 1990, approximately 800 audio recordings from 1976 to 2007, roughly 90 linear meters of Ministry for State Security (MfS) counter-documentation, around 30.5 linear meters of press clippings, more than 70 protest banners and transparencies, approximately 750 catalogued posters, and scientific works. Supplementary offerings include loanable and purchasable physical exhibitions (e.g., Revolution und Mauerfall, MAUERPAUER), book and online publications, public events (podium discussions, lectures, film screenings), and the MAUERECHO newsletter. A feasibility study is underway for a Forum Opposition und Widerstand (1945–1990).
The business model is non-commercial and grant-funded. Basic archive access and research consultations are provided free of charge to academic researchers, journalists, educational institutions, affected individuals, and the general public, with materials accessible only in-person at the reading room by appointment. Revenue derives primarily from two German government grant providers — the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media (BKM) and the Berlin Commissioner for Processing the SED Dictatorship — supplemented by minor fees for archival reproduction services under a published fee schedule (Gebührenordnung). The organization is currently relocating from the historic Stasi headquarters compound at Ruschestraße 103 in Berlin-Lichtenberg to a new facility at Klosterstraße 66 in Berlin-Mitte, with the archive closed from February 13 through May 31, 2026 for the move.
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Robert Havemann Gesellschaft
- Legal name
- Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft e.V.
- Website
- https://havemann-gesellschaft.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft e.V. is a Berlin-based non-profit founded in 1993 that operates the Archive of GDR Opposition, preserving and providing public access to materials documenting resistance against the communist dictatorship in the German Democratic Republic. It serves academic researchers, journalists, educators, affected individuals, and the general public, funded primarily by German federal and Berlin state government grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Historical Archives
- NAICS
- Libraries and Archives (519210), Libraries and Archives (51921)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Archives, Libraries & Institutional Access Platforms (MPAJAMAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- National Archives, Records & Information Governance (BPAIAAAG), Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing (MPAJABAK)
Keywords
Where Robert Havemann Gesellschaft is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Government Funding: Primary funding from German federal and Berlin state government bodies including the Beauftragter der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media) and the Berliner Beauftragter zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur (Berlin Commissioner for Processing the SED Dictatorship)
- Archive Reproduction Fees: Fee-based reproduction services for archival documents and materials according to published fee schedule (Gebührenordnung)
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free research access |
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Robert Havemann Gesellschaft operates the Archive of GDR Opposition (Archiv der DDR-Opposition), a public archive that collects, preserves, and provides access to materials documenting opposition and resistance against the communist dictatorship in the GDR from 1945 onwards. The organization also produces exhibitions, publications, and events on GDR opposition history, supplemented by a newsletter (MAUERECHO) and a feasibility study for a Forum Opposition und Widerstand.
Product overview
The Robert Havemann Gesellschaft operates the Archiv der DDR-Opposition (Archive of GDR Opposition) as its core product, functioning as a public archive that collects, preserves, and provides access to materials documenting opposition and resistance against the communist dictatorship in the GDR. The organization offers multiple interconnected products and services including exhibitions (both physical and open-air) on Peaceful Revolution and Berlin Wall topics, publications (book and online), and public events such as podium discussions and lectures. The archive maintains extensive collections including samisdat publications, films (approximately 5,000 video cassettes), audio recordings (approximately 800 cassettes), posters (approximately 750), banners and transparencies (over 70), museum objects, press documentation, and scientific works. The organization also runs the Forum Opposition und Widerstand project for feasibility studies on documenting opposition history, and publishes the MAUERECHO newsletter. All collections are accessible through the archive's reading rooms with prior appointment.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Archiv der DDR-Opposition (Archive of GDR Opposition) The main archival service of the Robert Havemann Gesellschaft, collecting, preserving, and providing access to materials related to opposition and resistance against the communist dictatorship in the GDR from 1945 onwards. One of the most significant archives for GDR opposition history, containing legacies, personal archives, collections of documents, images, and multimedia materials. Accessible through the reading room by appointment.
- Ausstellungen (Exhibitions) Physical and open-air exhibitions on topics related to the Peaceful Revolution, the Berlin Wall, and GDR opposition. Exhibitions are available for loan and sale, including 'Revolution und Mauerfall', 'MAUERPAUER', 'Parole: Funken schlagen!', 'Das Verschwinden der Mauer', 'Anarchie und Keller(t)räume', 'Verordnete Freundschaft', 'Gesichter der Friedlichen Revolution', 'Google History', 'Frauenwiderstand in der DDR der 1980er Jahre', 'Jugendopposition in der DDR', 'Robert Havemann 1910-1982', and 'Friedenswerkstatt Berlin 1982 - 1988'.
- Publikationen (Publications) Single publications and series published by the Robert Havemann Gesellschaft, including book publications (Buchpublikationen) and online publications (Online-Publikationen) available for order.
- Veranstaltungen (Events) Podium discussions, lectures, and book presentations organized by the Robert Havemann Gesellschaft on topics of opposition and resistance in the GDR.
- Forum Opposition und Widerstand A feasibility study project for a Forum on Opposition and Resistance (1945-1990), providing information about research and documentation of opposition movements in the GDR.
- MAUERECHO Newsletter A newsletter/publication providing current news about the processing of the communist dictatorship and updates from the Archive of GDR Opposition.
Companies that use Robert Havemann Gesellschaft
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bundesarchiv – Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv (Federal Archives – Stasi Records Archive)coreCo-organizer of the Campus-Kino 2026 film event and ongoing collaboration on events and programs at the Stasi headquarters compound. Joint efforts in preserving and providing access to materials documenting GDR opposition and State Security activities.
- Berliner Beauftragter zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur (Berlin Commissioner for Processing the SED Dictatorship)coreRegular co-organizer of events and programs. Provides institutional support and funding for archive operations and public programming on GDR history processing.
- Stiftung Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall Foundation)minorCollaboration on events such as Campus-Kino film screenings, joint programming on GDR history topics.
- Matthias-Domaschk-Archiv JenacoreIndependent archive that joined under the umbrella of the Robert Havemann Gesellschaft in summer 1993, merging its holdings into the Archive of GDR Opposition.
- Archiv GrauZonecoreFormer independent archive focusing on women's movement materials that merged into the Robert Havemann Gesellschaft's holdings, bringing press documentation and samisdat collections.
- Bürgerkomitee 15. Januar e.V.minorCollaborates on events and programs related to processing GDR history and civil movement documentation.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Archiv der Zeitgeschichte, ETH Zürich: Swiss university-based archive of contemporary history holding political and social movement collections. Comparable in mission (independent archive of 20th-century political dissent) but operates in a different national context from RHG's German focus.
Broad incumbents
- Deutsches Historisches Museum: Germany's national museum of history, with extensive permanent and rotating exhibitions covering the GDR, division, and reunification. Overlaps with RHG in audience and subject matter at a much larger institutional scale.
- Stiftung Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland: Federal foundation operating museums and exhibitions on German contemporary history including the GDR. Comparable as a federally funded, collection-driven remembrance institution that curates exhibitions and educational programming on 20th-century German political history.
- Bundesarchiv – Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv: Germany's federal archive of State Security (Stasi) records and a core strategic partner of the Robert Havemann Gesellschaft; both operate at the former Stasi HQ campus in Berlin-Lichtenberg and curate overlapping MfS-related collections, exhibitions, and educational programming on the GDR dictatorship.
Direct peers
- Bundesstiftung zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur: Federal foundation mandated with processing the SED dictatorship; collaborates with the Berlin Commissioner for Processing the SED Dictatorship, which funds RHG. Operates a parallel nationwide network of projects, publications, and educational programs on GDR opposition history.
- Gedenkstätte Museum in der Runden Ecke: Leipzig-based memorial in the former Stasi district administration building, holding its own collections of opposition documentation, Monday demonstration materials, and permanent exhibitions — closely mirroring RHG's archival and educational mission in a different geography.
- Robert Havemann Stiftung (Erlauer Straße): Separate Havemann-named foundation supporting civic education and remembrance of the GDR opposition; historically intertwined with the Robert Havemann Gesellschaft and shares overlapping program themes, audiences, and contact networks in the Berlin remembrance ecosystem.
- Stiftung Berliner Mauer: Berlin Wall Foundation operates the Berlin Wall Memorial and is a confirmed co-programming partner of the Robert Havemann Gesellschaft. Both institutions deliver exhibitions, events, and educational content on GDR-era repression, civil disobedience, and the Peaceful Revolution, serving overlapping researcher, journalist, and school audiences.
- Gedenkstätte Berlin-Hohenschönhausen: Memorial at the former Hohenschönhausen Stasi remand prison delivering exhibitions, guided tours, and educational programs on political persecution in the GDR. Directly comparable to RHG as a remembrance institution funded by Berlin state authorities with overlapping audiences and themes.
Emerging players
- Deutsches Literaturarchiv Marbach: Major German literary archive holding literary estates, samisdat-adjacent materials, and modern literary collections with deep digital cataloging. Comparable to RHG as a non-state archive providing scholarly research access and preservation of politically sensitive 20th-century collections.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft social profiles
Digital presenceRobert Havemann Gesellschaft financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Robert Havemann Gesellschaft
What does Robert Havemann Gesellschaft do?
The Robert Havemann Gesellschaft operates the Archive of GDR Opposition (Archiv der DDR-Opposition), a public archive that collects, preserves, and provides access to materials documenting opposition and resistance against the communist dictatorship in the GDR from 1945 onwards. The organization also produces exhibitions, publications, and events on GDR opposition history, supplemented by a newsletter (MAUERECHO) and a feasibility study for a Forum Opposition und Widerstand.
Is Robert Havemann Gesellschaft a public or private company?
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Robert Havemann Gesellschaft founded?
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft was founded in 1993. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Robert Havemann Gesellschaft based?
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Robert Havemann Gesellschaft make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are archive Reproduction Fees.
Who are Robert Havemann Gesellschaft's main competitors?
Archiv der Zeitgeschichte, ETH Zürich is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Deutsches Historisches Museum, Stiftung Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland and Bundesarchiv – Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv. Direct peers are Bundesstiftung zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur, Gedenkstätte Museum in der Runden Ecke, Robert Havemann Stiftung (Erlauer Straße), Stiftung Berliner Mauer and Gedenkstätte Berlin-Hohenschönhausen. Deutsches Literaturarchiv Marbach is listed as an emerging player.
Does Robert Havemann Gesellschaft have an API?
No public API is recorded for Robert Havemann Gesellschaft.
What industry is Robert Havemann Gesellschaft in?
Robert Havemann Gesellschaft's product category is Historical Archives. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAMAJ, Digital Archives, Libraries & Institutional Access Platforms, with a secondary code of BPAIAAAG, National Archives, Records & Information Governance. Its NAICS code is 519210.