Culture of remembrance: Discover the Nibelungen Bridge and its Nazi past

Culture of remembrance: Discover the Nibelungen Bridge and its Nazi past

in Linz, the Nibelungen Bridge is now in the focus of an exciting project, which was founded by the art university Linz and the Johannes Kepler University. The aim is to make the history of this important building transparent as the relic of the Nazi era. The official opening of this impressive exhibition took place on Wednesday evening and can now be visited.

The exhibition entitled "About a Bridge ... go / drive / write / research / talk / argue ..." You can see in the bridge head buildings of the Linz Art University. These buildings themselves also come from the Nazi era and play an important role in the culture of remembrance. The curators Birgit Kirchmayr, Angela Koch and Wiltrud Hackl would like to actively address the challenges and topics related to remembering on National Socialism with their work

the bridge as a historical tool

A central concern of the exhibition is to bring the little -known story of the Nibelungen Bridge to light. Historian Birgit Kirchmayr said that many previously unnoticed stocks were discovered during the research on the exhibition, including a comprehensive photo documentary of the bridge construction from the Linz City Archives. This documentation impressively shows the construction progress of the bridge and the associated large -scale construction site.

The name "Nibelungenbrücke" was first used in 1939 when the bridge was built to the German Reich shortly after Austria's "connection". According to Kirchmayr, the name is connected with the ideology of National Socialism because it should symbolize an expansion of the "German Reich".

a mix of art and science

A particularly exciting aspect of the show is the combination of scientific research and artistic forms of expression. In the exhibition, artistic contributions can be found, such as the installation "Torte instead of words" by Anna Pech and Moritz Matschke, who creatively inserted a Linz cake into the joints of the bridge in a creative way. These and other works tell the Nibelungenmyth from a feminist perspective and offer fresh perspectives on history.

The exhibition not only addresses the history of the bridge, but also the current challenges and dealing with the Nazi past. Visitors can actively take part in the discourse in an area by holding their thoughts in a guest book or on postcards. These contributions are continuously documented and contribute to the dynamics of the exhibition.

Another important topic is the role of forced labor in the construction of the Nibelungen Bridge. Historical documents, including old newspaper articles and original building plans, are available to visitors and offer insights into the darker side of building history. Inserted by an acoustic experience in cooperation with "Sounding Linz", the bridge is made both acoustically and visually tangible.

The exhibition is open until December 18, from Monday to Friday between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. and admission is free. There are several discussions in which experts such as Wiltrud Hackl and Angela Koch will talk about various aspects of the exhibition and the Nibelungen Bridge.

For detailed information and deepening of the theme, participation in the events that are open to a wide audience is ideal

More information about this exciting exhibition are to find here .