A few years ago I was in Berlin to help a friend celebrate a landmark birthday. Berlin is a great city and as I was with some old bike mad friends we couldn’t resist checking out the museum dedicated to East German bikes produced behind the Iron Curtain during the cold war.
Biking on the Other Side of the Iron Curtain
Tucked away in a little side street, surrounded by restaurants, the museum had three halls over two levels, packed with some great looking bikes and artefacts. 
More than a hint of Ducati Paso here
The last of the line MZ, 1000S…looks good
Neat BMW single, there was also a virtual dead copy of this bike built in East Germany badged as a EMW, that is the lower picture. Note the red and while rather than blue and white badge
Nice headlight…MZ Trophy Outfit
Neat flat twin showing more than a hint of BMW
More than a hint of BSA Bantam here in these IFAs…the British bike was based on a German design, handed over at the end of WW2
The amazingly comprehensive toolkit supplied with ERA and latterly MZ bikes
MZ500 2-stroke. I think this was a home made special from two MZ250s. Neatly done: Looks factory
This rather funky take on the MZ250 of 1987 was never sold in the UK
Some pretty funky scooters on display too
The Pitty….
Who needs a Fire Engine when you can have a Fire MZ!!??
Please chase me with this!
My personal favourite was this stunning Simson: I didn’t realise they made bikes like this in the Eastern Bloc
Note the position of the fuel tank and the luggage rack! Stability, safety? Pah!
I am saddened to learn that the museum has recently closed it doors. I am even more more pleased now that I took the opportunity to visit this idiosyncratic venue.
Words and Pictures: Tony Donnelly