The online #StolenMemory exhibition is now complemented by an impressive and informative traveling exhibition. The open-air exhibition will travel to 20 cities throughout Germany as part of the “Culture in Rural Areas” funding program of the German Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media. The first stop was the town of Meßkirch in Baden-Württemberg, where the exhibition went on show on August 14; here are further tour dates listed.

The exhibition focuses on returning the personal effects of victims of the Nazis to their families. Illustrated info boards will be on display in a shipping container with side walls that open up for easy access. In addition to the content that is displayed on site and on the website, the concept also includes a new augmented reality app that features video portraits of the relatives of the owners of some of the effects featured in the exhibition.

Anyone can help

The traveling exhibition is divided into two sections. The “Found” section features effects that have already been returned to family members. The “Searching” section focuses on effects that are still waiting to be returned. The Arolsen Archives are keen to point out that anyone can join in the search for families and help return effects to the relatives of their owners. With the help of volunteers, over 400 mementos have already been returned to families of victims of Nazi persecution. Some of the volunteers who have supported this project come from neighboring European countries.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the start of the tour had to be postponed by a few weeks. However, the fact that the #StolenMemory exhibition is shown outdoors makes it especially suitable in the circumstances we now find ourselves in and it is certainly well worth a visit. New signs on site draw attention to the need for social distancing and to the appropriate hygiene measures which are also necessary outdoors.