Beyond Berlin

By: European Stories from Berlin to Beyond.
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  • Summary

  • Beyond Berlin brings you stories big and small that start in Berlin and look eastwards to where the heart of the continent beats and its future is shaped. A journey through history, personal memories, books and stories that embody the spirit of a Europe that has much to tell of its past, but also much to build for its future.

    beyondberlin.substack.com
    Valentina Giannella
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Social Sciences World
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Episodes
  • What Has Happened to the German Culture of Remembrance? PART THREE 1990-2025

    What Has Happened to the German Culture of Remembrance? PART THREE 1990-2025
    Mar 17 2025

    Show Notes:

    What Happened to German Memory Culture? Part Three: United and Confused (1990-2025)

    Episode Overview:

    This episode explores how German remembrance culture evolved following reunification, examining the challenges and transformations in how Germany processes its past.

    Key Moments:

    Post-Reunification Challenges

    Germany as social and cultural laboratory ● Contrasting memories between East and West Germany ● Rise of neo-Nazi violence and xenophobia in early 1990s

    Key Memorial Developments

    The Neue Wache controversy and its transformation ● Creation of Stolpersteine memorials ● Development of the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin ● Wehrmacht Exhibition & Public Response: Groundbreaking exhibition on Wehrmacht war crimes

    Balkan Wars and German military involvement

    Interpreting "Never Again" in foreign policy ● NATO participation and Kosovo intervention

    Contemporary Challenges

    Integration of immigrant perspectives ● Colonial past recognition ● Debates over Holocaust uniqueness ● Current institutional uncertainties

    Looking Forward:

    The episode concludes by examining recent attempts to reform German remembrance policy and the potential development of a broader European memory culture.Deep dives and references:

    On Beyondberlin.substack.com, you'll find footnotes and a bibliography providing access to the most important literature on German Erinnerungskultur (memory culture) and its debates.

    This podcast is adapted from a three-part series published on beyondberlin.substack.com titled:

    What Has Happened to the German Culture of Remembrance?Curated by: Valentina Giannella

    Music Credits: Intro/Outro Music via Loudly



    Get full access to Beyond Berlin at beyondberlin.substack.com/subscribe
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    26 mins
  • What Has Happened to the German Culture of Remembrance? PART TWO

    What Has Happened to the German Culture of Remembrance? PART TWO
    Feb 27 2025
    What Has Happened to the German Culture of Remembrance?A Historical Review: Debates, Discourse, Pivotal MomentsIn this episode: The Roots, 1945–1989In this episode of Beyond Berlin, we explore the History of the Culture of Remembrance in Germany from 1945 to 1989. We begin by examining the controversy surrounding the bombing of Dresden, which was a military target during World War II.We then address the initial silence of the German people after the Holocaust's horrors were revealed, the Allies' efforts to re-educate Germans, and how some German Protestant Churches in 1945 spoke up to acknowledge the atrocities committed by the German government.Next, we discuss how, after Germany's division, the Eastern government blamed the Holocaust on the West—portraying the West as the capitalistic continuation of the fascist regime while positioning the East as an anti-fascist state populated by victims and resistance fighters. Meanwhile, the Western government attempted to make amends with Jewish people worldwide, partly to regain its place on the world stage, though not without resistance from its citizens.We also examine how the GDR conducted high-profile trials to hold the West accountable for employing former Nazi party members in their government.The final section covers both German governments' efforts to educate their citizens and the world about the Holocaust through trials and media. In 1979, the American miniseries "Holocaust" brought the issue to the forefront, sparking a genuine reckoning with the past in Germany and leading to greater introspection and refugee support.Despite this progress, debates persisted in Germany about whether the Holocaust was a unique event in human history and how to reconcile the past with the present. The 1980s laid the foundation for "Erinnerungskultur" (remembrance culture): after 1979, silence gave way to expression through books, family memoirs (spawning a genre of descendants coming to terms with their families' Nazi past), and conferences. Nevertheless, certain debates revealed Germany's struggle to come to terms with its Nazi history, acknowledge the Holocaust as a unique crime, and accept its permanent connection to Germany.Key moments:Today: Dresden: Memory, Hijacked.1945-1949: The Great Silence.Reeducation through the media: memory, imposed.Breaking the Silence: The 1945 "Stuttgart Declaration of Guilt".The Great Reframing in Occupied East Germany.1950–1967: Coming to Terms with the Past or Drawing a Line Under It?West Germany Starts Investigating Nazi Crimes.East Germany Celebrates its Anti-fascist Struggle.East Germany and its Relationship with Jewish Victims.The "Better State" against the "Still-Nazi" West Germany.Germans Facing The Big Trials.1968-1970: We Need to Talk!Looking Eastward: Ostpolitik and Memory-Building.1970-1978: Filming Between Memory and Propaganda.1979: "Holocaust" and a Nation's Catharsis.1980–1989: Foreign Policy Challenges, Social Tensions, and Historical Debates.1980: The United States Holocaust Memorial project.1985: The Limits of Inclusive Memory.May 8, 1985. Federal President Weizsäcker's speech.1986/87 The Historians´ Dispute: “The Past That Will Not Pass”.1987 Topographie des Terrors: The Material Response to the Historians' Debate.1988: Shadows of the East.Audio segments from public speeches:Dr. Navid Kermani - Speech at the ceremony "65 Years of Basic Law" 2014Speech by Federal President Richard von Weizsäcker on May 8, 1985Music credits:Serge Pavkin Music - Keep WalkingSerge Pavkin Music - Time to say GoodbyeFootnotes, bibliography and more on the topic:Beyondberlin.substack.com: Stories —big and small— that start in Berlin and look eastward, where Europe´s heart beats and its future unfolds.Here you will find the original post, the second of a three-part series dedicated to exploring the genesis, struggles, and contradictions that make German Remembrance Culture still unresolved. Get full access to Beyond Berlin at beyondberlin.substack.com/subscribe
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    52 mins
  • "We fight to survive"

    "We fight to survive"
    Jan 27 2025
    Show Notes: "We Fight to Survive"Between 1942 and 1944, a group of families from Nazi-occupied western Ukraine hid in the local caves, with some never leaving for almost one year. This is their story.What does it take to survive in the darkest of times? How can humans endure months or even years without sunlight, fresh air, or certainty of survival? From Kyiv’s sewers to the forests of Poland, from the extermination camps of the Holocaust to modern-day hostage situations, the resilience of the human spirit continues to defy comprehension.This episode brings you the extraordinary story of survival by a group of Jewish families who, between 1943 and 1944, hid in the caves of western Ukraine to escape Nazi persecution. These caves, among the largest in the world, became both a sanctuary and a prison as the families navigated their way through unimaginable conditions for nearly a year.We connect this story with Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning, exploring how purpose and meaning can become the ultimate tools for survival. This is not just a Jewish story—it’s a European story, a human story.Along the way, we’ll delve into:• The unique geography of western Ukraine’s cave systems.• The heroic efforts of the Stermer family and their fight for survival.• How meaning and community can sustain life in the face of absolute despair.• Modern-day parallels to these harrowing experiences.Key Moments:Introduction – Why survival stories like this still matter today.Discovering the Story – From a Wikipedia footnote to a museum exhibit: how this history came to light.The Caves of Ternopil Region – Exploring the geography, history, and cultural significance of the caves.Life Underground – How the Stermer family and others adapted to life in total darkness.Betrayals and Bravery – The dramatic capture and escape of Esther and her family.The Role of Meaning in Survival – Insights from Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy.Modern Echoes – What this story teaches us about resilience in the face of ongoing conflicts today.--The story was featured in National Geographic Adventure in 2004 and inspired both a young adult book, The Secret of Priest's Grotto (2007), and a 2013 documentary featuring Nicola and four survivors. The movieReleased in 2012, is available on Amazon Prime and on YoutubeSources online* Christos Nicola, Peter Lane Taylor, The Secret of Priest's Grotto: A Holocaust Survival Story, 2007* Europe Between East And West, blog: Caving In – Optymistychna: The Ukrainian Underworld, 2021* Відвідай туроператор (Vidvidai Tour Operator): 5 the Most Interesting Caves in Ternopil Region* Smow Journal, Natalia Romik. Hideouts. Architecture of Survival at the Jewish Museum, Frankfurt, 2024 / also in the Frankfurt Jewish Museum website* Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine, Media Portal, 11 min. documentary on the Ozernaya Cave, 2011* National Geographic Magazine, The Darkest Days, July 2004, via WebArchive.org* Haaretz, How Caves That Have Sheltered People for 6,000 Years Saved Jews From the Holocaust, Jul 22, 2023* Mykhailo P. Sokhatskyi’s scientific contributions on Research Gate focused on the prehistoric history of Verteba and Priest´s Grotto* (Video) Hideouts. The Architecture of Survival. - lecture by Natalia Romik at the Art Biennale Budapest, Nov 2024Credits:Research and narration by Valentina Giannella, based on the sources listed above.Music & SFX:Serge Pavkin “Prolonged Rain”A segment featuring Frank Birnbaum singing Avinu MalkeinuSome personal recordingsSound effects by ElevenLabs and PixabaySound Design: Valentina GiannellaDiscover more and subscribe at beyondberlin.substack.com Get full access to Beyond Berlin at beyondberlin.substack.com/subscribe
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    28 mins

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