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TSD DD Pirnaischer Platz 1919
Exhibition

Universe Dresden

The filmmaker and film collector Ernst Hirsch

9. May — 25. Oct

Location
Dresden Technology Collections
Junghansstraße 1 - 3 (entrance Schandauer Str.) 01277 Dresden
Opening hours
Tue - Fri: 9:00 - 17:00 Sat / Sun / public holidays: 10:00 - 18:00
Admission
8 € per person | 6 € reduced Friday from 12:00 free admission Free admission with Dresden Pass and for children under 7 years and other discounts

Immerse yourself in Dresden's pictorial worlds from the early years of the 20th to the beginning of the 21st century. Take a tram ride through the historic city. Observe people in their everyday lives, at festivities and while strolling. Take part in conversations with former Dresden Jews about Dresden under National Socialism. Experience art, culture and architecture in Dresden through the ages.

AI generated: The image shows a person with a film camera on a tripod in front of the ruins of a building. The focus is on the combination of film production and historical architecture.Ernst Hirsch vor der Ruine der Frauenkirche 1994 | Foto: Konrad Hirsch © Ernst Hirsch

Chronicler and preserver

The cameraman, director and collector Ernst Hirsch has shaped the visual memory of the city of Dresden like few others. born in Dresden in 1936 and growing up near Pirnaischer Platz, the images of Old Dresden remained deeply rooted in him even after the city's destruction. Over more than seven decades, Ernst Hirsch has amassed a unique treasure trove of documentary films - amateur and advertising films from the 1920s and 1930s, news and documentary films that he has shot himself since 1952.

As a former apprentice of the Dresden camera manufacturer Zeiss Ikon, he has always had a passion for film technology. Even as an amateur film club member and later as a professional cameraman, he tried to keep up with developments in technology and acquired newer and more powerful film cameras whenever the opportunity arose. But he was also fascinated by the early Dresden inventions at the beginning of the film age and allowed his technical collection to grow. For the exhibition, Ernst Hirsch has retold the stories of his cameras and his most important film finds.

in 2025, the SLUB Dresden and the Dresden Technology Collections were able to take over the valuable collections on behalf of the public. A selection of the treasures will be shown as part of this special exhibition.

»As a 14-year-old apprentice, I walked across the Maltese Cross full of reverence, and my training at PENTACON formed the basis of my professional development. The Dresden Technology Collections are almost a sacred place for me, and the fact that my films and film cameras are now exhibited here is the culmination of my life's work.«
— Ernst Hirsch
Ernst Hirsch Als Lehrling 1952Ernst Hirsch als Lehrling, 1952 | Foto: Walter Meier, © Ernst Hirsch
TESA 5086Das Malteserkreuz war das Logo der Ernemann AG, die später in die Zeiss Ikon AG überging. Das Symbol ziert noch heute den Originalfußboden der ehemaligen Direktionsräume, die zu Zeiss Ikon-Zeiten weiterhin von der Belegschaft genutzt wurden. | Foto: © Grit Doerre
AI generated: The image shows a busy street from an earlier time with several people, including two boys in the foreground. A horse-drawn carriage and historical buildings can be seen in the background.Filmstill aus »Behelfsomnibusse in Dresden im Einsatz« (1919) | Quelle: Sammlung Ernst Hirsch Dresden – SLUB Dresden, Depositum Museen der Stadt Dresden – Technische Sammlungen

In cooperation with the Saxon State Library, State and University Library, the Institute for Saxon History and Folklore and the state programme "SAVE - Safeguarding the audio-visual heritage in Saxony"

Supported by the Ostdeutsche Sparkassenstiftung, the Ostsächsische Sparkasse Dresden and the Volker Homann Foundation.

Exhibition dates

Sat / 20. Jun
18:00
Muna Anja Schneider Web
Technology Collections
Museum Night at the Dresden Technology Collections

Long Night of Dresden Film

18:00 to 24:00

Guided tours through the special exhibition "UNIVERSUM Dresden. The filmmaker and film collector Ernst Hirsch" shed light on the significance of historical films for the present day. There will also be personal insights into Ernst Hirsch's cinematic work and life as well as discussions with friends and companions.

Workshops will invite children to get creative themselves, the DLR_School_Lab will be a radio station and the Radebeul Astroclub will provide spectacular views of the night sky from the Ernemannturm.

The Friends' Association will be demonstrating historical computing technology and opening the radio depot.

Science phenomena and current research projects can be discovered in the interactive Science Centre exhibitions.

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Co-operation partner

AI generated: The image shows the SLUB logo with a red, stylised book symbol and the lettering "SLUB" as well as the slogan "We lead knowledge." The main content of the image is the visual representation of SLUB's identity.
KI generated: The image shows the logo of the "SAVE - Safeguarding Audio-Visual Heritage in Saxony" initiative. The main content is the preservation of audiovisual cultural heritage.
KI generated: The image shows the logo of the Institute for Saxon History and Folklore, consisting of the letters "ISGV" and a stylised design in the background. Next to it is the full name of the institute.

Sponsor

KI generiert: Das Bild zeigt das Logo der Ostdeutschen Sparkassenstiftung, begleitet von dem Hinweis, dass sie durch das PS-Lotterie-Sparen unterstützt wird. Im Fokus steht das Symbol der Sparkasse.
Ostsächsische Sparkasse Dresden
KI generiert: Das Bild zeigt das Logo der Volker Homann Stiftung. Es besteht aus stilisierten geometrischen Formen und den Schriftzug in blau.