1938Projekt: How Posts from the Past Offer New Insight into the History

• In Event: Talking about Jewish Past in the Turbulent Present: International Case Studies

Abstract

This presentation aims to show the main aspects of the 1938Projekt – a year-long calendar of the Leo Baeck Institute – New York | Berlin (LBI), which uses the micro history perspective to present important events from the German-Jewish history in 1938.
Eighty years after the events of 1938, how does one grasp the mixture of horror and surprise felt by the victims of the Nazi regime? One significant way is to look at the letters, diaries, and photographs saved by German Jews and their families. Using documents from the LBI archives and those of several partner institutions, the 1938Projekt analyses day by day the range of reactions and emotions that individuals and families had as they struggled to escape Germany and Austria in order to survive. In addition, significant world events are described alongside the calendar entries to provide a broad context for the individual stories.
Focusing on main characteristics of the project, this presentation shows how the 1938Projekt differs from other projects commemorating 1938 and how the innovative approach helps the audience better understand the significance of the year.

Author

• Magdalena Wrobel