Rathausausstellung 2026 - Tafel 31: Neuausrichtung in kleinen Schritten | Town-hall Exhibition 2026 - Panel 31: Restructuring one step at a time

Hamburg’s cultural administration after 1945 In June 1945, the British military government appointed the notary public Hans Harder Biermann-Ratjen as Hamburg’s Culture Minister. After the war, only two employees remained at the Office of Cultural Affairs, which was renamed the Ministry of Culture in 1947. New appointments were also made to the management of theatres and art museums in Hamburg. The new-found political freedom led to a revival of culture, especially cinema and radio. But such was the economic hardship of the post-war years that the cultural authorities had only limited funds at their disposal and therefore little room to manoeuvre. A sense of direction was similarly lacking in terms of content: Volkskunst had become synonymous with the Nazi era, and modern art had been suppressed. Cultural policy was therefore eager to promote diversity, young talent, and humanistic values.