ABSTRACT
The decades following the collapse of the 'German Democratic Republic' have seen a growing interest—especially among the 'next generation'—to transcend preconceived notions about what life was really like behind the 'Iron Curtain' and, in our field, to become familiar with the hidden debates among the experts. As so much was either shrouded in darkness or was simply unknown, the opening of such a window did not only bring a breath of fresh air to this dusty metier, but also afforded new views, as light shone on it. Yes, there existed— and in some cases still exists— a myth which purports that there was a 'Zero Hour' back in 1989. In the development of the Bauhaus colloquia, three different approaches in sequence can be discerned which are characteristic of the respective colloquia. With the Bauhaus colloquium in 1986, several new factors arrived on the scene. Urban planning and urban development were raised as major topics at the conference.
