Weimar reminds: New museum illuminates the fate of the forced laborers

Weimar reminds: New museum illuminates the fate of the forced laborers

The newly opened museum for forced labor in Weimar not only attracts local visitors, but also experiences great popularity internationally. The facility, which is housed in the Gauforum, a historic monument from the Nazi era, began in May 2023 and has aroused great interest since then.

insights into the dark story

Forced labor during the Third Reich is a often displaced chapter of history. The museum in Weimar offers a comprehensive overview of the background that led to the enslavement of millions of people. "Our exhibition begins in 1933 to make it clear that forced labor did not only begin during the war, but already with the seizure of power of the National Socialists," explains Dorothee Schlüter, who is responsible for the public work of the house.

a central place of memory

The response to the museum is gratifying. By the end of July 2023, 5,500 visitors could already be received, plus over 1,000 guests who were present at the opening and the long night of the museums. Schlüter expects these figures to continue to rise, as schools and other groups have already requested guided tours.

Especially former forced laborers and their relatives have visited the museum and expressed their gratitude for a place for a place where their stories are told. "It shows that they are not alone with their fate," continued Schlüter.

international response

The museum has already attracted groups of students from Norway and France, as well as individual international travelers from the Czech Republic and Poland. These visitors are not only interested in the exhibition, but also in the way in which forced labor is treated in both national and international context.

direct connection to the Nazi past

The location in the Gauforum is no coincidence. Originally, the monument was to be the official residence of Gauleiter Fritz Sauckel, who was responsible for recruiting forced laborers. This connection to the past increases the importance of the museum as a refurbishment site.

an indispensable contribution to the culture of memory

The museum in Weimar is one of the few facilities in Germany that deal exclusively with the topic of forced labor. While other institutions only treat forced labor as part of a larger topic, Weimar focuses entirely on this question and thus makes an important contribution to the culture of memory. It was estimated that between 20 and 26 million people had to do forced labor during the Second World War, although the effects are still felt today.

The institution not only has a historical, but also a social obligation to remember the atrocities of the past and to raise awareness of the importance of human rights and justice in today's world. Through sensitization to this topic, the museum makes a valuable contribution to the processing of history. The original documents collected that the museum has received are also kept in a large archive of the memorial and contribute to scientific processing.