From May 28 to June 30, 2025, the Stralsund City Library will host the exhibition "Heritage - Time - Dialogue: A tour through the historical buildings of the city of Qingdao" will be shown in the event cellar. The vernissage will take place on May 28 at 4 pm in the event cellar of the Stralsund City Library.
The exhibition juxtaposes historical German postcards from the former colony of Tsingtau, now Qingdao, with contemporary architectural photographs. Distinctive buildings in the city from the 19th and 20th centuries are shown in combination with contemporary photographs - including the former German governor's office, the governor's residence from 1907, the Tianhou Temple, the Qingdao harbor (Dagang Pier), the landing stage (Tsingtau Bridge) and the beach hotel from 1903.
Each postcard shown in the exhibition is translated into German and accompanied by a detailed commentary on the significance of the building shown. The exhibition was curated by DU Zhao, the former head of the Qingdao City Cultural Bureau, in collaboration with ZOU Dehuai, a collector from Qingdao who has bought over 100,000 original photos and hundreds of photo albums of East Asian architectural history from all over the world. The exhibition is organized by the Qingdao Museum and the Society for Encounter and Cooperation between China and Germany.
A special highlight of the exhibition opening is the presentation of a historical photo album as well as the opportunity to experience historical city views vividly with faithfully reconstructed 3D glasses from the early 20th century.
Qingdao - formerly Tsingtau - belonged to the German Empire as the colony of Kiautschou from 1898 to 1919. Many of the striking buildings from this period have been preserved and protected to this day. The juxtaposition of photographs from the colonial era (19th-20th century) with current images is particularly impressive - a dialog between past and present, between East Asia and Europe.
Today, Qingdao is a metropolis of millions with one of the highest qualities of life in China. The city takes great pride in its architectural heritage: many residential buildings from the colonial era still characterize the green cityscape with their red roofs, bay windows and facades.
Qingdao also became internationally famous as the venue for the sailing competitions at the 2008 Olympic Games - and not least for its famous Tsingtao beer: the brewery, founded in 1903, is now one of the largest in China and exports to over 100 countries worldwide.
The exhibition invites visitors to rediscover Qingdao - as a place with an eventful history, architectural charm and living cultural heritage.
