"PENTACON PROJECT" - Long-exposure. Work and experiences in Dresden's camera industry in the transformation years of 1980 to 2000

On 2nd October 1990, shortly before the celebrations of German Unity, the shutdown of VEB Pentacon in Dresden was announced unexpectedly. Not only did this decision conclude a long-standing and international camera production. More than four thousand employees of VEB Pentacon had to re-orient themselves. Their experiences in and with this transformation is to be illuminated in a joint project between Technische Sammlungen Dresden (TSD), the Hannah Arendt Institute for Totalitarianism Studies and the film maker Theo Thiesmeier (Berlin). Cinematic interviews conducted by students of TU Dresden will document the life stories of contemporary witnesses on different levels and in different production areas of VEB Pentacon. Under the title "Langzeitbelichtung" (long-exposure), these interviews will supplement the TSD's exhibition, as well as being scientifically analysed in HAIT's research field "Transformation Research". Furthermore, they will be made accessible for academic use on the portal Oral-History.Digital.