Testimonies to the everyday history of the robotron canteen
The Kunsthaus is continuing the contemporary witness project on the eventful everyday history of the VEB-robotron canteen, which began in 2025, in collaboration with former employees and others.
The building, which was co-designed by Dresden artists Friedrich Kracht and Eberhard Wolf, not only served over a thousand people every day, but also hosted a diverse programme of cultural events: The official and unofficial programme ranged from performances by the company's own robotron ensemble to the founding of the cabaret theatre "Die Lachkarte" and a concert by singer-songwriter Bettina Wegner, who was expatriated in 1983. The Semperoper had its rehearsal stage here after 1989 and the discotheque "Mellys" attracted a young Dresden club audience.
The project, which is funded by the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony, collects contemporary testimonies (stories), photographs and artefacts. The ultimate aim is to create a small permanent exhibition in the robotron canteen on the history of the site.
Contemporary witnesses can send their contributions by email to vermittlung@kunsthausdresden.de or call 0351-488 8971! We look forward to getting into dialogue!
The robotron canteen triggers memories and emotions for younger and older people in Dresden. The building of the former VEB robotron company canteen, which was built between 1969 and 1972, stands for information technology and hopes for the future in the GDR, the daily lunch, but also memories of family celebrations and cultural events. Younger people associate the building with memories of club nights and a sense of freedom, which is still reflected in the graffiti on the site and perhaps also in the attitude to life of skaters.
After many demolitions, including in the city centre, the elegant low-rise building, together with the Kulturpalast, is one of the remaining solitary buildings of East German post-war modernism in Dresden with a high identity value. In 2017, the Dresden City Council decided to preserve the building. Since 2021, the canteen has been used for exhibitions of contemporary art by the municipal Kunsthaus Dresden and the Ostrale e. V. association. in 2023, the robotron canteen was listed as a cultural monument by the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments in Saxony.
In summer 2024, Dresden City Council will decide on an offer to purchase the building and its continued use as a new centre for contemporary art and culture. A usage concept was developed in collaboration with the Dresden architectural firm zanderarchitekten, which is based on a dialogue process between Kunsthaus Dresden, Ostrale e. V. and a whole series of other discussion partners. The aim of the decision is to preserve the robotron canteen for public use and for Dresden's urban society and visitors to the city. We would like to thank Gateway Real Estate AG for their friendly cooperation during the temporary use of the canteen
Further information
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