Identity Systems Germany: Visual Identities of the Federal Republic of Germany

The exhibition Identity Systems Germany, marks the first time the HfG-Archiv Ulm is focusing on the brand identities of West German companies and institutions after 1945. Historical examples, such as Peter Behrens and his designs for AEG (1907–1914), illustrate the early stages of this development in Germany. The ”E5“ development group at the Ulm School of Design set new standards for graphic design in 1961/62 when it conceived the first systematic visual identity for Lufthansa AG under the direction of Otl Aicher (1922–1991). Other examples come from designers such as Anton Stankowski (1906–1998), who created the logo for Deutsche Bank AG, and Celestino Piatti (1922–2007), who designed book covers for Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag. The exhibition offers the opportunity to compare graphic design in the Federal Republic of Germany with the achievements of the Ulm School of Design. On display are posters, standards manuals, logos, printed materials, and much more.

Exhibition dates: October 23, 2026 – March 29, 2027.

Exhibition at the HfG Archive Ulm, Am Hochsträß 8, 89081 Ulm

The catalog is sponsored by the Ulm School of Design (HfG) Foundation. We would also like to thank HQ Print and Harder Logistics GmbH & Co. KG for their support.

In 2024–2025, the exhibition, titled “Identity Systems Germany,” was presented in Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan, as a collaborative project between the A5 Collection (Katharina Sussek & Prof. Jens Müller), Düsseldorf, and the DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion, Tokyo. We thank the DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion for its financial support of the project.