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Kyiv, Ukraine – The Ukrainian cabinet has officially adopted what is being dubbed the ‘Berlin Story Law,’ a groundbreaking piece of legislation aimed at simplifying the permanent transfer and export of war trophies. This move comes after the unique experience of Enno Lenze and Wieland Giebel from the Berlin Story Museum, who, in 2022, became the first non-state entities to import a captured Russian T-72 tank into Germany.
From WhatsApp Message to Legislative Change
The journey began with a simple WhatsApp message from Enno Lenze to Yuriy, the deputy head of Ukraine’s Military History Museum: “Hello Yuriy! My name is Enno from the Berlin Story. I got your number from Alisa. She says you can get me a T-72 from the Russians. How does that work?” This seemingly straightforward inquiry kicked off a complex process that highlighted the lack of clear legal frameworks for such transfers.
Lenze and Giebel, along with their Ukrainian counterparts, navigated a labyrinth of international import and export laws, logistics, and demilitarization requirements. Unlike state entities that could self-authorize permits, the museum had to apply for every single approval. Their biggest hurdle proved to be Berlin, where authorities initially resisted their efforts to protest Russia’s war, leading to a six-month legal battle that was ultimately resolved in their favor by Dr. Patrick Heinemann, affectionately nicknamed “Dorkslayer” by Ukrainian colleagues for his ability to dismantle absurd legal arguments.
Addressing Ambiguity in War Trophy Ownership
Prior to this new law, the ownership and export of captured Russian military equipment were not clearly regulated. While Ukrainian law states that these trophies belong to Ukraine, allowing them to be loaned, their sale or permanent gifting was a grey area. This led to a system of temporary export permits that required frequent extensions, a situation that all involved parties acknowledged as overly complicated.
The ‘Berlin Story Law’ now provides a clear legal basis for the permanent transfer and long-term export of these artifacts. The legislation specifically mentions the Berlin Story Museum’s tank, which had to be moved to the Netherlands on short notice with a police escort, as an example of the challenges the new law aims to address.
Paving the Way for Future Research and Exhibitions
Enno Lenze expressed his satisfaction with the new law, stating, “We laid the groundwork – now others can benefit. We are very happy about that!” This isn’t the first time the Berlin Story Museum has blazed a trail. Since 2022, their ‘Know Your Enemy’ initiative has been investigating Russian military equipment, uncovering, for instance, German components in Shahed drones in 2024 and American NVIDIA AI chips in Zala drones just two months ago.
These findings are made possible by the museum’s direct engagement at the front lines, collecting and exporting objects themselves – a practice few other German museums, and only a handful globally, undertake. This dedication inspired the creation of the ‘TrophyLab’ in Ukraine, allowing researchers worldwide to apply for access to these valuable war trophies.
The Berlin Story Museum continues to be at the forefront of German research in this field, promising to continue pushing boundaries. Visitors can explore these findings and more at the Ukraine Museum within the Berlin Story Bunker, a top-rated museum in the German capital.
Source: https://www.berlinstory.de/news/ukraine-erlaesst-berlin-story-gesetz/
