Between Workshop and Filmscreening

On the 4th of May we had our introductory workshop and the first film-screening.

We had four guests invited for that occasion. Dr. Birgit Schwelling of the University of Konstanz, who wrote a book about the Union of Returnees (Verband der Heimkehrer) and provided us with a lot of information about the experiences Germen POWs made when they returned to either GDR or FGR.

The Soviet case was presented by Dr. Konstantin Tsimbaev of the Russian State University for Humanities. In terms of comparison his presentation contrasted of course a lot to Dr. Schwelling's, what gave way to many interesting questions. We were very happy that he could come because likewise we could combine the workshop with another project-group meeting.

The last presentation which dealt with film as historical source was held by Alina Tiews inventor of "Museumsfieber" and PhD-student at the University of Münster. She works with film and displaced persons and smoothed the way for the film-screening we had in the end.

So, in terms of content and method we had the perfect introduction and the discussions we had, proved to be very fruitful for the continuation of our investigation.

Afterwards we headed for the cinema "Kinobar Prager Frühling" to watch the first German postwar movie: Die Mörder sind unter uns by Wolfgang Staudte, which was presented to us by Dr. Christoph Classen of the ZZF in Potsdam.

All in all, the feedback was really positive and we had a very interesting and intense workshop-day.

Now, the next event is already around the corner, tomorrow we will screen in the oldest cinema of Leipzig, UT Connewitz, Rossellini's Germania Anno Zero. For those who would like to do a last-minute-trip to Leipzig, please feel cordially invited to do so!