Forgotten memories: concentration camps tell moving stories

Forgotten memories: concentration camps tell moving stories

The Neuengamme concentration camp memorial currently shows an impressive exhibition that deals with the personal objects of former concentration camp prisoners. These objects, which were withdrawn from the victims to the camp when they were entered, come from the Arolsen Archives. The exhibition is open until June 25th and is located in an overseas container on the former Appeals of the Neuengamme concentration camp. Each of the objects tells the moving life story and the fate of the people they once came from, and many of these effects come directly from the Neuengamme concentration camp, some also from Dachau.

The #StolenMemory campaign was launched to find members of the former concentration camp prisoners from over 30 countries, especially from Poland, Germany and the former Soviet Union, and to return their personal objects to them. This initiative has already found more than 1,000 families. The importance of these objects is often invaluable for the survivors, since they often represent the last connection to the victims.

The importance of personal objects

Floriane Azoulay, director of the Arolsen Archives, emphasizes that many victims of the National Socialists left no material traces because they were taken away. This makes the return of the effects particularly valuable and often unexpectedly for relatives who know little about this part of the history of their relatives. The objects range from personal documents to clothing and other everyday objects.

The exhibition uses modern technologies to offer visitors an interactive experience. With QR codes, visitors can call up video orchards in which members of the former prisoners report on their family stories. This enables deep and emotional access to the life stories of those affected.

support from volunteers

The #StolenMemory campaign not only uses the exhibition, but also invites volunteers from different countries to help with the families of the former concentration camp prisoners. This support is often via social media and the online availability of archive stocks. Volunteers from Poland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, France and Spain have already been committed to return as many of the stolen memorials.

The Arolsen Archives have also developed various exhibition formats to present the biographies of the persecuted and the stories of the returns. This includes hiking exhibitions, ready-to-print exhibitions and online exhibitions that have already been seen in many European cities such as Paris, Warsaw, Moscow, Barcelona and Venice. This helps to raise awareness of the history of the Nazi persecutors and to further promote the #StolenMemory initiative.

It is important to note that the use of the online archive of the Arolsen Archives is subject to sensitive data. The information can include aspects such as religious affiliation, origin and state of health of the victims of the time. Users are responsible for compliance with data protection rights, since this information is sensitive and are part of a significant historical review.

The exhibition and the overall initiative not only offer a way to remember, but also for active participation in the return of memory pieces that are indispensable evidence of history. The KZ Memorial Neuengamme and the Arolsen Archives are committed to keeping the stories of the survivors and the victims alive and woven in the memory of society.