24 February 2022 press release

The German National Library in Frankfurt am Main will be hosting the Federal Archives' touring multimedia exhibition “History and Remembrance” from 2 March to 21 April 2022. A selection of interactively presented archival materials will bring German history to life in an area measuring nine square metres. Visitors will also be able to find out more about the Federal Archives' tasks, structure and functioning at the interactive stations.

On 17 June 2021, responsibility for the Stasi Records Archive was transferred to the Federal Archives. The touring exhibition marks the process of transferring the agency of the Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service (BStU) to the Federal Archives. The display highlights the transformation which the Federal Archives had to undergo. Tried-and-tested processes, current changes and the challenges faced by archivists are all featured in this look behind the scenes at the Federal Archives.

The Federal Archives' work and self-perception are guided by the four core values of responsibility, trust, reliability and openness. Following an introductory film, the exhibition devotes a section to each of these. Film clips provide information about the Federal Archives' collections and competences. Virtual visits to stacks, workshops and workrooms show the people who work there and what they do. Staff in various departments give interviews explaining their day-to-day work: what is stored in the Archives? What has to be done to preserve historical sources for posterity and ensure that anyone interested can access them?

Some of these sources are showcased in the exhibition. A number of documents, including a handwritten note by former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt recall the dramatic events of the “German Autumn” of 1977.

Visitors can test their understanding of archival terms, guess the handwriting of famous people, or play puzzles with historical documents. The “Gallery of Finds” showcases curious, exciting and entertaining photography from the Federal Archives.

The exhibition has been on tour since 17 June 2021 and will continue until 15 July 2022; it will be hosted at 20 locations in various German cities, including Berlin, Dresden, Karlsruhe, Leipzig, Munich, and at the Federal Archives' headquarters in Koblenz. From 1 March 2022, the exhibition will be on display at the German National Library, one of the central memorial institutions of the Federal Republic of Germany.

“History and Remembrance – The Federal Archives“

2 March to 21 April 2022
Monday to Friday 9:00 to 21:30
Saturday 10:00 to 17:30
Closed on Sundays and public holidays
Admission free

Reservation:
Visits to the touring exhibition are only available with prior registration.
https://pretix.eu/dnb/geschichteunderinnerung/ to make a reservation

Background

For more than 100 years, the German National Library has been collecting, documenting and archiving all media works in text, image and sound format published in Germany since 1913 along with foreign publications about Germany or in the German language; these are then made available to the public. It offers a comprehensive range of services at its sites in Leipzig and Frankfurt am Main along with digital services that can be accessed all over the world insofar as this is permitted by copyright.

The German National Library’s German Exile Archive 1933–1945) is a platform for discussing the subjects of exile and emigration during the Nazi era. The archive collects testimonies of this exile: publications, institutional and personal legacies – from all walks of life and regardless of the prominence of the individual concerned. The Archive’s goal is to capture the phenomenon of exile in all its variety and to facilitate access to our holdings.

The establishment of the Exile Archive during the early post-war period was initiated by a number of émigrés and other persons who saw it as an instrument of political enlightenment. This is another reason why the Exile Archive attaches particular importance to cultural education: the many aspects of exile between 1933 and 1945 are conveyed in exhibitions and a wide variety of events and publications, thus making a significant contribution to the cultivation of a vibrant culture of remembrance.

The establishment of the Exile Archive during the early post-war period was initiated by a number of émigrés and other persons who saw it as an instrument of political enlightenment. This is another reason why the Exile Archive attaches particular importance to cultural education: the many aspects of exile between 1933 and 1945 are conveyed in exhibitions and a wide variety of events and publications, thus making a significant contribution to the cultivation of a vibrant culture of remembrance.

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Images for editorial use

Images for editorial use with reports on the exhibition. Press image material is only available in German.