Object of the Month – June 2026

Simson KR 50

Our Object of the Month for June is the Simson KR 50, which also happens to be our Object of the Summer! It is currently on display in our new exhibition "Object of the Season!" With this new format, we are shining a spotlight for one season at a time on treasures from our store, archives, or library that would otherwise remain hidden.

After all, museums operate on the "iceberg principle": alongside exhibiting and education, our core duties include collecting, researching, and preserving in order to bring technological and industrial history to life.

A Piece of Two-Wheeled History
Dating back to 1963, the KR 50 was the first small scooter produced in the GDR. Between 1958 and 1964, a total of 164,500 units were built by the state-owned enterprise Simson Suhl. Unlike its legendary successor produced from 1964 onwards – the famous Schwalbe, or Swallow, from the Simson bird series – the KR 50 was strictly a single-seater.

The history of the manufacturer Simson dates back to 1856. Following a turbulent and tragic history, marked by the expropriation of its Jewish founding family under the Nazi regime and its later conversion into a state-owned enterprise, the factory focused entirely on two-wheelers from 1962. While these vehicles still enjoy cult status today, the brand unfortunately did not survive the post-reunification era in the long run; production came to a final end in 2002.

Become part of our museum summer!
Because your personal connection, knowledge, and memories are incredibly important to us, we would love for you to get involved. Whether it's your first holiday by the Baltic Sea or experiences from your everyday working life – share your personal story with us and our other visitors on our noticeboard in the exhibition.

How to take part:
Email your memory, including a photo and text, to pr@phantechnikum.de
Alternatively, send it via Instagram to @tlm.mv

We will print out your contribution and pin it right up on the board in the museum.

Find more details about the exhibition here!