Images of the construction - they were created in both East and West Germany. What motivated the artists to engage with this subject? What motifs did they choose, and what artistic forms of expression did they employ? How free or constrained were they in their design? Who supported this art, and where was it presented? This iconographic and cultural-historical study addresses these questions. It seeks to identify similarities and differences, finding justifications beyond the ideological level. The comparative approach sharpens the focus on the conditions of art production against the backdrop of the establishment of the political systems in both German states.