1895

First biennial in Venice. Germany participates in the main Pavilion.

1903

National Pavilions erected in the Giardini Publici

1905

German (originally: Bavarian) Pavilion erected. Architect: Daniele Donghi

916-1920

Due to the war no biennials took place

1938

Remodelling of German pavilion according to National-Socialist ideals. Architect: Ernst Haiger

1944-1946

Due to the war no biennials took place

1948-1962

Mainly retrospective exhibitions of art from the first half of  the 20th century are shown in the now (West-) German Pavilion.

From 1982 till 1990 the German Democratic Republic organizes it’s own exhibitions in the former Pavilion of decorative art.

1964

A careful remodelling of the interior of the Pavilion puts the impact of the Nazi building in perspective. The exhibitions since then have concentrated on one or two artistsThey are:

1964

Joseph Faßbender, Norbert Kricke (curator: Eduard Trier)

1966

Horst Antes, Günter Haese, Ferdinand Ris (curator: Eduard Trier)

1968

Horst Janssen, Richard Oelze (curator: Alfred Hentzen)

1970

Kaspar-Thomas Lenk, Heinz Mack, Georg Karl Pfahler, Günther Uecker (curator: Dieter Honisch)

1972

Gerhard Richter (curator: Dieter Honisch)

1974

No biennial takes place

1976

Joseph Beuys, Jochen Gertz, Reiner Ruthenbeck 
(curator: Klaus Gallwitz)

1978

Dieter Krieg, Ulrich Rückriem (curator: Klaus Gallwitz)

1980

Georg Baselitz, Anselm Kiefer (curator: Klaus Gallwitz)

1982

Hanne Darboven, Gotthard Graubner, Wolfgang Laib (curator: Johannes Cladders)

1984

Lothar Baumgarten, A. R. Penck (curator: Johannes Cladders)

1986

Sigmar Polke (Curator: Dierk Stemmler)

1988

Felix Droese (curator: Dierk Stemmler)

1990

Bernd und Hilla Becher, Reinhard Mucha (curator: Klaus Bußmann)

1993

Hans Haacke, Nam June Paik (curator: Klaus Bußmann)

1995

Katharina Fritsch, Martin Honert, Thomas Ruff  
(curator: Jean – Christophe Ammann)

1997

Gerhard Merz, Katharina Sieverding (curator: Gudrun Inboden)

1999

Rosemarie Trockel (curator: Gudrun Inboden)

2001

Gregor Schneider (curator: Udo Kittelmann)

2003

Candida Höfer, Martin Kippenberger (curator: Julian Heynen)

2005

Thomas Scheibitz, Tino Sehgal (curator: Julian Heynen)

2007

2009

Isa Genzken (curator: Nicolaus Schafhausen)

Liam Gillick (curator: Nicolaus Schafhausen)

2011

Christoph Schlingensief (curator: Susanne Gaensheimer)