Artists Hanna Goldstein and Claudia Balsters organized an exhibition at the commemoration, highlighting the important role women played in the resistance to the Nazis.
In commemoration, artists Hannah Goldstein and Claudia Balsters organized an exhibition highlighting the important role women played in the resistance to the Nazis. Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the assassination of Hitler, this exhibition highlights the often overlooked contributions of women in the struggle against tyranny.
Displayed at the Willy Brandt House in Berlin, the exhibition features writings and works by women lined up on the walls and scattered across the floor. These visual stories are powerful reminders of their courage and resilience. Among the stories told is that of Annedore Leber, who was imprisoned by the Nazis and later documented the lives of resistance fighters. Her story, like many others, challenges traditional male-centric historical narratives.
Hannah Goldstein notes that “women’s stories have always been considered less important than men’s stories, and there are many reasons to speculate why, but one is that the winners have the right to tell the story, right? The winners make history, and it’s mostly white men who have made history so far, and they’ll write about themselves. »
The exhibit drew a strong response from visitors, some of whom discovered connections to their own family histories.
Claudia Balsters notes: “Since we exhibited this work in France and Germany, visitors who perhaps remember their own family stories have seen our pictures and have been deeply moved by the stories they evoke – and have also had to question and reflect on their role in society. »
The exhibition is particularly poignant given the rise of far-right sentiment in Germany and attacks on Holocaust memorials. Last year, monuments to LGBTQ victims and plaques commemorating the deportation of Jews were vandalized.
Goldstein emphasizes that their work is timely: “We have to keep fighting because we are facing a very scary situation right now in Europe and in many parts of the world. We have to be brave and show that we don’t want to live this way. We want a fair and just world and I think people who come here can be inspired by this exhibition. »
The exhibit will run until September 8 and commemorates the courage of women fighting against oppression, prompting visitors to reflect on their role in the ongoing struggle for justice and equality.