President visits the once-divided village of Mödlareuth - President Steinmeier Visits 'Little Berlin' Moedlareuth on Unity Day Eve
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is set to visit the small village of Moedlareuth today. Known as 'Little Berlin', the village was famously divided by a wall during the German separation, much like the city of Berlin itself.
Moedlareuth's division occurred in 1952 when a wooden fence was erected along the Tannbach stream, splitting the village into parts belonging to the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). This border was later fortified with a concrete wall completed in 1966.
Today, the village is home to around 50 residents. The visit coincides with the modernization celebration of the German-German Museum Moedlareuth, one day before German Unity Day. The museum's upgrade includes a new building and redesigned outdoor facilities, with total costs estimated at around 22 million euros. Steinmeier will be accompanied by the Ministers-President of Bavaria and Thuringia, Markus Söder (CSU) and Mario Voigt (CDU).
The museum in Moedlareuth, established in 1990 after the fall of the Berlin Wall, attracts up to 90,000 visitors from around the world annually. Steinmeier's visit today is a reminder of the village's unique history and the ongoing efforts to preserve and commemorate the past.
