The Story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf.

Archive Research X Editorial Design – In Cooperation with Lena Hardt
Supervision: Susanne Stahl
The publication "Charlotte von Mahlsdorf - Die Frau zwischen den Stühlen" tells the story of a trans person who showed her identity not only during the terror of the Nazi era but also under the restrictions of the GDR. She built up a museum in Berlin Mahlsdorf, which today represents a unique collection of furniture and objects from the Wilhelminian era. The collection box contains four booklets, each dealing with one aspect of Charlotte's life, as well as an exhibition poster and a timeline.
Not only known for her Gründerzeit museum in East Berlin, her life and her identity as a woman in a time of political uncertainty and social restrictions make her a significant figure in German LGBTQ+ history. Her work was even honoured with the Federal Cross of Merit after reunification. She wrote an autobiography entitled ‘I am my own woman’, which was also made into a film by Rosa von Praunheim. Charlotte von Mahlsdorf died in 2002. 

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This project deals with material from the archives of the “Schwules Museum Berlin” about the life of this interesting figure. The archive material consisted of many newspaper articles, but all of them were written after 1990, when Charlotte von Mahlsdorf came into the public eye. There were also some pictures and handwritten letters in which Charlotte reflected on her life.  The challenge when working with archive material is often to develop a coherent narrative. This involves developing a design concept to integrate the heterogeneous elements such as texts, infographics, newspaper articles, illustrations and photos into a meaningful narrative structure. The project about Charlotte von Mahlsdorf was realised in the form of a publication that is intended as an exhibition publication for the museum.An examination of Charlotte's life draws attention to central aspects that can be considered particularly significant and that give the design concept a clear direction. On the one hand, her passionate devotion to collecting Wilhelminian furniture is striking. Charlotte's sympathy for the traditional model of life as a housewife is another fascinating aspect that provides insights into her personal convictions and lifestyle. Above all, however, the publication focuses on her actual life's work, which continues to this day: the Gründerzeit Museum. This museum, consisting of hand-collected furniture, represents not only Charlotte's artistic and historical vision, but also her perseverance and dedication to the preservation of cultural heritage. In this context, the importance of Charlotte's work should be emphasised.




Charlottes Childhood during the Nazi Era.



About being Homosexual in the GDR – East Germany.