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We would like to invite you to a virtual time-travel through 40 years of East German-toys and their stories, discover your own GDR-toys or the ones of your kids, grandchildren or friends... Or get to know GDR toys and their histories! Our collection of toys does travel and can be viewed in museums all over the world!!! (more information in the news section or at https://www.facebook.com/DDR-Spielzeug-489973954738837)
The collection has "grown" since the last 3 decades - which means, it consists not only of GDR-toys but for example their packaging, information, advertising, catalogues, basically everything with regards to them. From A in aeroplane via steam machines, boats, doll houses, educational toys, small toys, tin toys, bulldozers, cars, building sets, games and many more but basically the complete toy range for the whole family can be found here!
The toys were manufactured all over Eastern Germany but specifically in Thuringia, Saxony but also Brandenburg from companies like Sonni, PrefoDresden, MSB Mechanische Spielwaren Brandenburg, MSW Mechanische Spielwaren Weimar, VEB Piko Mechanik, Vero Olberhau EKT Dresden but also Max Carl Judenbach Mes Ju, Linol Dresden, Zeuke Berlin... to name only a few.
My hobby is collecting all kinds of toys from former East Germany (GDR). Authenticity and bringing the toys "back to life" is very important for me. How does one start a hobby like this, one could ask? I hear this question a lot. Well, as it happens with many collectors, you just keep hold of things. There is the interest for all kinds of things and with time it gets more and more..... the same has happened to me. Some toys are from my own childhood or my siblings'. In GDR toys often used to be kept in families for generations or had been passed on and therefore survived many years. As we were 5 kids at home I used to have more time with toys. I also had two much younger brothers and if toys broke, they ended up with me for repair, or I wanted to "obtain" my siblings presents in form of toys.... With the end of the GDR my siblings had the desire for other toys. The toys all for a sudden gone unnoticed. East Germany dissolved - disposed of.... All for a sudden, there were East German toys in the shops which I could never get hold off as a child. That's how I started collecting. In the beginning it was only collecting mechanical GDR-toys, then I expanded to the whole GDR-toy-portfolio. From toy cars to board games, everything came together.
GDR is now history. My/our collection has for sure got no political background! But if you look closer and question it, the toys can tell many stories. 40 years of GDR-toy history is a completed collection and with it, a testimonial and part of a history, which, in my opinion, should be kept safe for generations to come. Why not start a time-travel, maybe you will find your favourite toy or have a look at toys, made in GDR you have never seen before in our GDR-toy-gallery. Have fun and many thanks for visiting. If you like it, please pass it on! If you dont, please let me know.
Your collector Eric Palitzsch
GDR toys like to travel in museums all over the world. The collection has "grown" since the last 3 decades - which means, it consists not only of GDR-toys but for example their packaging, information, advertising, catalogues, basically everything with regards to them. You have got a museum? Would you like to exhibit our Toys and Co.? then please get in touch via our contact form! We have got plenty of exhibition experience over the last 15 years as our collection was and is shown regularly in a variety of museums all over Germany! Our collection consists of toys ranging from A in aeroplane via steam machines, boats, doll houses, educational toys, small toys, tin toys, bulldozers, cars, building sets, games and many more but basically the complete toy range for the whole family...
We also have the wish and the intend to exhibit our toys - which tells part of the German history - industrial history - permanently! Would you like to support us? We are working on the concept. Have you got ideas? - Please get in touch! We welcome suggestions and information!
Current exhibitions can be found under: Dates & News
Eric Palitzsch
Fichtenstraße 11
01734 Rabenau
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)351 / 6442747
Email: info@ddr-spielzeug.com