EUROPE AND GERMANY 1939-45. VIOLENCE IN THE MUSEUM

Download

In October 2020, the German Bundestag decided to establish a documentation centre dedicated to the history of the Second World War and the German occupation of Europe. The Deutsches Historisches Museum (DHM) was entrusted with preparing a proposal to implement the project.

The DHM will take the opportunity to devote itself to this topic at the fourth symposium in the Historical Judgement series, to be held on Thursday, 31 March 2022. All interested parties are invited to learn more about Germany’s rule over approximately 230 million people in 27 of today’s European states. The international symposium EUROPE AND GERMANY 1939–45: VIOLENCE IN THE MUSEUM will address the question of how violence can be presented in museums, what objects can be used to tell the story of the dictatorship, and what specific stories these objects tell.

Raphael Gross, president of the Stiftung Deutsches Historisches Museum: “Violence is once again shaping Europe today. Historical images from the 19th century and the experiential history of the Second World War have an urgent contemporary relevance. They pose new challenges to historical museums. At this year’s symposium, we will tackle the difficult question of how the enormous suffering of the 230 million Europeans subject to the German dictatorship can be represented and communicated at exhibitions. Not only do we expect the discussions to provide fundamental new perspectives on this complex and highly charged topic in the politics of memory. We also hope that empathy for the victims and insight into the actions of the many perpetrators will lead to a better understanding of history and contemporary life in Europe, in which war is once again raging.”

The discussions and lectures will feature internationally renowned scholars, including Natalia Aleksiun (University of Florida, Gainesville), Fritz Backhaus (Stiftung Deutsches Historisches Museum), Wolfgang Eichwede (Research Centre for Eastern Europe at the University of Bremen), Sabina Ferhadbegović (Friedrich Schiller University Jena), Mary Fulbrook (University College London), Julia Franke (Stiftung Deutsches Historisches Museum), Bianca Gaudenzi (German Historical Institute in Rome), Raphael Gross (Stiftung Deutsches Historisches Museum), Meike Hopp (Technische Universität Berlin), Benjamin Lahusen (Europa-Universität Viadrina, Frankfurt an der Oder), Hermann Parzinger (Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin), Lili Reyels (Stiftung Deutsches Historisches Museum), Philippe Sands (University College London), Julia S. Torrie (St. Thomas University, Fredericton), Raphael Utz (Stiftung Deutsches Historisches Museum), and Jens-Christian Wagner (Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorials Foundation, Weimar).

In conjunction with the event, the DHM will publish the fourth issue of the journal Historische Urteilskraft, titled “Europa und Deutschland 1939–1945: Gewalt im Museum” (“Europe and Germany 1939–1945: Violence in the Museum”).

Thursday, 31 March 2022, 9 am to 7 pm
EUROPE AND GERMANY 1939–45
VIOLENCE IN THE MUSEUM
4th international symposium in the Historical Judgement series
Venue: Zeughaushof courtyard at the Deutsches Historisches Museum and per livestream.
Conference languages: German and English, with simultaneous interpreting.
Participation is free.

Registration at: https://www.dhm.de/en/symposium-registration-europe-and-germany-1939-45-presentations-of-violence-in-museums/
Extensive programme at: https://www.dhm.de/en/visit/events/conferences/europe-and-germany-1939-45-presentations-of-violence-in-museums/
The symposium will be livestreamed and recorded.

For interview requests and filming opportunities, please contact the press office directly at: presse@dhm.de and 030/20 304 410