A Dutch photographer has made an extraordinary commitment to preserving East German architectural heritage by living in a restored apartment filled with GDR-era furniture and maintaining one of the largest collections of historical postcards documenting communist-era buildings. Reinder Wijnveld, 47, has transformed his three-room apartment on the 15th floor of an unrenovated East German prefabricated building in Frankfurt (Oder) into both a living space and a museum dedicated to GDR architecture.
Wijnveld's apartment, located in a distinctive high-rise called PH16 - a special construction type unique to Frankfurt (Oder) - offers panoramic views across the entire city to the Polish town of Slubice. The photographer has stripped away the original wallpaper to reveal gray concrete walls, which now display framed postcards of historic East German architecture. His living space, which resembles an artist's studio, is furnished with carefully restored chairs, cabinets, and lamps from the GDR period.
The centerpiece of Wijnveld's dedication to preserving architectural history is his extensive collection of approximately 11,000 historical postcards, housed in a dedicated room he calls his "card cabinet." These postcards are systematically organized alphabetically and stored in original GDR-era shelves that once stood in a hat factory in Guben, located in the Spree-Neiße district. "I collect these historical postcards to get as complete a picture as possible of GDR architecture, which has often been demolished or altered. They complement my photography in a historical way," Wijnveld explained.
The photographer's interest extends beyond the buildings themselves to the human stories behind the architecture. He has engaged with local residents in Frankfurt (Oder), showing them his postcards and recording their personal experiences and memories. This community engagement has resulted in the creation of a digital walking tour app that guides users through the Oder city with historical anecdotes and personal stories from longtime residents.
Wijnveld's fascination with historical postcards began in his hometown of Eindhoven in the Netherlands, but his specific interest in GDR architecture developed during his first visit to Berlin in the early 2000s. In 2005, he moved to the German capital to study sculpture and documentary photography at the Berlin-Weißensee School of Art. However, his passion consistently drew him away from the metropolitan conveniences of Berlin to explore smaller East German cities.
"I wanted to experience what it's like to live in a planned city from GDR times, without constantly returning to convenient Berlin, where the offerings are enormous," Wijnveld said. This desire led him to spend two years in Eisenhüttenstadt from May 2023, where he organized guided tours through the former GDR Hotel Lunik and curated exhibitions. He described this period as transformative: "Living, experiencing life, and getting to know people, and of course the architecture and photography, combined ideally during those two years there. In Eisenhüttenstadt, I was able to develop my interests much better than in Berlin."
Frankfurt (Oder) has allowed the photographer to fulfill a long-cherished dream of living in an original, preserved GDR prefabricated apartment building. Here, he lives door-to-door with residents who experienced life during the GDR era and can share their firsthand stories with him. Wijnveld is committed to making these memories visible through future exhibitions and oral history projects, which is why he sees himself staying long-term in the Oder city.
"I'm very happy to be here. I believe in this city and look forward to when it can experience another upswing. There's still potential here," Wijnveld concluded, expressing his optimism about Frankfurt (Oder)'s future while continuing his mission to preserve and share the architectural and social history of East Germany through his unique combination of photography, collecting, and community engagement.
