German Democratic Republic (GDR) (1971-1989)

This serie of banknotes is the last in the existence of the GDR, period in which Honecker and then W. Stoph and E. Krenz assumed the leadership of the State, the GDR being admitted to the UN but maintaining an immobile policy, which triggered massive migrations and ended up liquidating the GDR after the fall of the Berlin Wall. There are banknotes of 5 eastern mark, 10 eastern mark, 20 eastern mark, 50 eastern mark, 100 eastern mark, 200 eastern mark and 500 eastern mark.

5 eastern mark (fünf Mark)

This banknote worth 5 mark was first circulated in 1975. On the main side right it can be seen Thomas Müntzer, 16th century German preacher supporter of the Reformation, defender of Anabaptism and leader of the peasants during German Peasants' War. In the center appears the official name of the country (Deutschen Demokratischen Republik) and the name of the National Bank in German (Staatbank der DDR). In the left appers GDR's coat of arms and in the lower part of the banknote, two 5's. The rest of the banknote is completed with decorative elements.
On the other side of the banknote it appears an image of several harvesting machines. In the lower part there are two 5's, in the left there's the coat of arms of the GDR and in the upper part, a text saying that counterfeiting banknotes is punished by law. This banknote has Thomas Müntzer's portrait as digital watermark and a security thread too. The size of this banknote is 11.2 cm x 5 cm.

10 eastern mark (zehn Mark)

This banknote worth 10 mark was first circulated in 1971. On the main side right it can be seen Clara Zetkin, German communist politician and fighter for women's rights, member of the Reichstag during the Weimar Republic. In the center appears the official name of the country (Deutschen Demokratischen Republik) and the name of the National Bank in German (Staatbank der DDR). In the left appers GDR's coat of arms and in the lower part of the banknote, two 10's. The rest of the banknote is completed with decorative elements.

On the other side of the banknote it appears a female engineer sitting at a control console inside the Rheinsberg Nuclear Power Plant. In the lower part there are two 10's, in the left there's the coat of arms of the GDR and in the upper part, a text saying that counterfeiting banknotes is punished by law. This banknote has Clara Zetkin's portrait as digital watermark and a security thread too. The size of this banknote is 12 cm x 5.3 cm.

20 eastern mark (zwanzig Mark)

This banknote worth 20 mark was first circulated in 1975. On the main side right it can be seen Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet, novelist, dramatist and scientist of Romanticism, considered the greatest expositor of German literature. In the center appears the official name of the country (Deutschen Demokratischen Republik) and the name of the National Bank in German (Staatbank der DDR). In the left appers GDR's coat of arms and in the lower part of the banknote, two 20's. The rest of the banknote is completed with decorative elements.

On the other side of the banknote it appears an image of kids going out of school. In the lower part there are two 20's, in the left there's the coat of arms of the GDR and in the upper part, a text saying that counterfeiting banknotes is punished by law. This banknote has Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's portrait as digital watermark and a security thread too. The size of this banknote is 12.7 cm x 5.6 cm.

50 eastern mark (fünfzig Mark)

This banknote worth 50 mark was first circulated in 1971. On the main side right it can be seen Friedrich Engels, 19th century German philosopher and revolutionary, coauthor with Karl Marx of fundamental works for the birth of the socialist, communist and union movements. In the center appears the official name of the country (Deutschen Demokratischen Republik) and the name of the National Bank in German (Staatbank der DDR). In the left appers GDR's coat of arms and in the lower part of the banknote, two 50's. The rest of the banknote is completed with decorative elements.
On the other side of the banknote it appears PCK Raffinerie oil refinery in Schwedt. In the lower part there are two 50's, in the left there's the coat of arms of the GDR and in the upper part, a text saying that counterfeiting banknotes is punished by law. This banknote has Friedrich Engels's portrait as digital watermark and a security thread too. The size of this banknote is 13.7 cm x 5.8 cm.

100 eastern mark (hundert Mark)

This banknote worth 100 mark was first circulated in 1975. On the main side right it can be seen Karl Marx, 19th century German philosopher, economist and sociologist, father of scientific socialism, modern communism and marxism. In the center appears the official name of the country (Deutschen Demokratischen Republik) and the name of the National Bank in German (Staatbank der DDR). In the left appers GDR's coat of arms and in the lower part of the banknote, two 100's. The rest of the banknote is completed with decorative elements.

On the other side of the banknote it appears an image of East Berlin, the Palace of the Republic (Palast der Republik), the boulevard Unter den Linden (with views to the Television Tower) the Red City Council and the arsenal (Zeughaus). In the lower part there are two 100's, in the left there's the coat of arms of the GDR and in the upper part, a text saying that counterfeiting banknotes is punished by law. This banknote has Karl Marx's portrait as digital watermark and a security thread too. The size of this banknote is 14.4 cm x 6.2 cm.