BERLIN.- Christian Boltanski’s “The Missing House” from 1990 has been permanently secured for the public as a donation by Annette Messager to Hamburger Bahnhof. The public artwork in Berlin Mitte becomes part of the “Endless Exhibition”, connecting the museum and urban space. The 24 nameplates of the installation at Große Hamburger Straße 15–16 commemorate former residents of a building destroyed during World War II. The plaques, mounted across two 20-meter high walls, have been reinstalled on-site following extensive restoration.


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“The Missing House” by French artist Christian Boltanski was created in the context of the exhibition project “Die Endlichkeit der Freiheit Berlin 1990” in public space in Berlin Mitte. The installation addresses the Nazi era, the Holocaust, and the bombing of the city during World War II. The building at Große Hamburger Straße 15–16, built in 1911, was primarily inhabited by Jewish families who were dispossessed and deported. The 24 plaques, affixed to two firewalls, list the names of Jewish and non Jewish residents along with their professions and the time periods during which they lived there. As part of Hamburger Bahnhof’s “Endless Exhibition”, the public will be able to learn more about the artwork through a microsite and a booklet for self guided tours. After extensive restoration, replicas replace the original wooden panels outdoors, with the originals remaining in the museum.

Till Fellrath and Sam Bardaouil, Directors of Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart: “We are thrilled to have permanently secured Christian Boltanski’s important work for Berlin. Thanks to generous support and this wonderful donation, the collection – and the free offerings of Hamburger Bahnhof – continue to grow. As part of the Endless Exhibition, the work represents our engagement in the city and our commitment to making Berlin’s history visible.”

Stefanie Remlinger, District Mayor of Berlin Mitte: “This memorial reminds us in our daily lives of the voids left by the war that Germany forced upon the world – both in the urban landscape and in human terms. War always brings destruction, despair, and death. This place should serve as a warning to us all.”

Annalisa Rimmaudo, President of the Christian Boltanski Endowment Fund: “On behalf of the Fonds de dotation Christian Boltanski created by Annette Messager in 2023, I am delighted that 'The Missing House' will join the Hamburger Bahnhof collection. A major work by the artist, it is both the first public installation in an urban space, but also his first piece in which the theme of destiny takes on an emblematic form. This acquisi- tion, which guarantees the work's visibility to as many people as possible and its durability for future generations, reinforces its essence as a memorial to our shared European history.”

The apartment complex at Große Hamburger Straße 15–16 and Boltanski’s artwork “The Missing House” have been listed as historical monuments in Berlin since 2021. In 2024, the plaques were removed for restoration due to thermal insulation work on both firewalls. Because of their fragile state after nearly 35 years outdoors, the original panels could not be reinstalled. The work has been permanently secured with replicas created by Munich-based conservator Iris Winkelmeyer. The original plaques will become part of the collection at Hamburger Bahnhof.

The French artist Christian Boltanski (1944-2021) grew up in Paris in a family marked by stories of the Holocaust. His work explores the universal themes of memory and the disappearance of individual destiny. Boltanski participated in documenta several times (1972; 1987) and was part of “Zeitlos” (1988) at Hamburger Bahnhof. Major presentations of his work were held in Paris, including “Monumenta” at the Grand Palais in 2010 and a retrospective show at the Centre Pompidou in 2019. In 2011, he represented France at the Venice Art Biennale.

The Endless Exhibition now includes 21 artworks from the Hamburger Bahnhof collection displayed indoors and outdoors. The microsite (www.endless-exhibition.de) and booklet guide visitors through the museum, garden, and surrounding areas, connecting the collection with history, architecture, and the neighborhood. The tour includes Dan Flavin’s light installation (1996), historic sites such as the former border crossing at Invalidenstraße, Christian Boltanski’s “The Missing House” in Große Hamburger Straße (1990), and annual commissioned works by Berlin-based artists Judith Hopf (2023), Claudia Wieser (2024), and, for the Open House (13–15 June 2025), a new sound installation by Susan Philipsz.

The project was coordinated and academically supported by Sarah Alberti, freelance journalist and art historian. Project supervision by Sven Beckstette, curator Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart.


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