The culture of remembrance in Germany
The Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism in Munich is the most recent site in Germany dedicated to the remembrance of Nazi crimes. But not the only one. Here a selection.
Place of learning in the centre of Munich
On the 70th anniversary of the entry of the American army into Munich, the Bavarian capital will open a new Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism. Numerous initiatives and sustained civic engagement helped to realize the project. The new building has been erected on a site that had special importance for the Nazi terror regime: the grounds of the former “Brown House”, the headquarters of the Nazi Party. The centre is designed to be a place of learning. www.ns-dokumentationszentrum-muenchen.de/zentrum
“Topography of Terror” in Berlin
In the German capital of Berlin, the site named the “Topography of Terror” offers a deep insight into the power structures of Nazi rule. From 1933 to 1945, this was the location of the most important headquarters of Nazi terror. In addition to a permanent exhibition, a tour consisting of 15 stations conveys a direct impression of the Nazi regime. www.topographie.de
Unique memorial in Heidelberg
The Documentation and Cultural Centre of German Sinti and Roma is a place of encounter and dialogue in the middle of the historic district of Heidelberg. Here the rich culture of the Sinti and Roma lives: literature, painting, music. At the same time, the centre is a place for the commemoration of victims of the Nazi dictatorship. The murder of Sinti and Roma is comprehensively documented in a unique memorial site. www.sintiundroma.de/
Stony megalomania in Nuremberg
On the former Nazi Party rally grounds in the south of Nuremberg, remains of gigantic buildings testify to the megalomania of the Nazi regime. Here, in the unfinished Congress Hall, is today the site of the Documentation Centre Nazi Party Rally Grounds. The permanent exhibition “Fascination and Violence” treats the causes, contexts and consequences of the Nazi dictatorship. The focus is on the history of the Nazi Party rallies, which Nazi propaganda used to stage huge mass events. www.museen.nuernberg.de/dokuzentrum/
Women’s concentration camp Ravensbrück
Many former concentration camps are today documentation centres, which commemorate in exhibitions and as authentic sites of memory the inconceivable crimes of the Nazis. One of them is Ravensbrück. There in 1939 the SS built the largest women’s concentration camp on Germany territory. www.ravensbrueck.de/mgr/neu/
www.dhm.de/lemo/kapitel/ns-regime/ausgrenzung/kz/
The Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism in Munich opens on 30 April 2015.
