Shortly before the end of World War II, on April 16, 1945, the former residence city of the princes of Anhalt-Zerbst was almost completely reduced to rubble during a bombing raid. More than 65 years have passed since then, giving this former gem of German architecture a completely new appearance. In between lies a special and now completed chapter of Zerbst's history, the time of the GDR. The well-known Zerbst authors Helmut Hehne and Heiko Röder take a look back at the period from 1945 to 1990. They present about 200 photographic testimonies from their private archives, showcasing the difficult new beginning after the war, the changing political structures, and not least the working and living conditions of the people. The reader experiences various moments of urban socialist life, takes a glimpse into shops and businesses, and witnesses school life.