Germany | Memory of Nations

Contemporary witnesses from Germany

Monika Simchen, Zittau, 2024

Monika Simchen

* 1949

Germany, Witness of local events from the Communist era, Life along the Iron Curtain

1950 - creation of the buffer zone between Czechoslovakia and Western Germany and Austria

Michael Stavenhagen, Prague, 2024

Michael Stavenhagen

* 1975

Refugee, GDR - outgoing passengers, East German Refugee, Germany

1989 - The fall of the iron curtain

Maria Stockinger, Neukirchen 2019

Maria Stockinger

* 1927

Illegal border crossing, National minorities, Sudeten Germans, Germany

30. 5. 1945 – 29. 10. 1946 - Expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia

Ivana Šustrová in 2022

Ivana Šustrová

* 1948

Supporter of Czechoslovak dissent from a western country, Germany, A 1948 – 1989 emigrant/refugee, Journalist, Witness of local events from the Communist era and 1 more categories

21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 1. 1. 1977 - Declaration of Chart 77, 9.11.1989 - The fall of the Berlin Wall

Helena Svobodová in 1974

Helena Svobodová

* 1951

Germany, New citizen of Sudetenland after 1945, Forced labour during the WW2, Victim of forced relocation, People from former eastern territories of Germany (to 1945) and 4 more categories

30. 5. 1945 – 29. 10. 1946 - Expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia, 8. 5. 1945 - End of WWII, 13.8.1961 - Building of the Berlin Wall, 21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia

Foto Szielasko alt.jpg (historic)

Lothar Szielasko

* 1935

Victim of forced relocation, People from former eastern territories of Germany (to 1945), East German Refugee, Germany

1945 - 1947 Expulsion of Germans from former German East territories, 7.10.1949 - Creation of the German Democratic Republic, 17.6.1953 - Uprising of 1953 in East Germany, 1989 - The fall of the iron curtain, 3.10.1990 - Reunification of Germany

Antonina Szymkiewicz

Antonina Szymkiewicz

* 1921

German minority in Poland after 1945, Germany

8. 5. 1945 - End of WWII, 12.1.1945 - 13.2.1945 Vistula–Oder Offensive

Adolf Tahedl, Neukirchen 2019

Adolf Tahedl

* 1940

National minorities, Memory of vanished settlements, Sudeten Germans, Germany

30. 5. 1945 – 29. 10. 1946 - Expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia

Thomas Thun, 2021

Thomas Thun

* 1949

Nobility, Germany

30. 5. 1945 – 29. 10. 1946 - Expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia

Josef Tichý at Technical auxiliary battalions

Josef Tichý

* 1932

Germany, Victim of forced relocation, Victim of persecution due the forced agricultural collectivisation, Political prisoner in the 1950‘s (ČSR), PTP (Auxiliary Technical Battalions) and 4 more categories

8. 5. 1945 - End of WWII, 25. 2. 1948 - Communist coup d‘état in ČSR, 23. 2. 1949 – Beginning the forced agricultural collectivisation, 21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 17. 4. 1969 – A. Dubček’s resignation, start of the “normalisation” period and 1 more anniversaries

Statistics: 21431 Witnesses the Database; 12150 Witness Stories; 22069 Registered Researchers; 180537 Photos; 71172 Clips