A typical characteristic of the socialist economy of shortages was queuing for scarce goods. In the photograph, we see a queue outside an Intershop in the GDR, in which high-value goods and products from the West could be acquired in exchange for foreign currency.
Queue outside an Intershop, black-and-white photograph, GDR, date unknown, unknown photographer; source: © picture alliance / dpa, Bildnummer 2147154.