Berlin exhibition stirs painful memories

By Tristana Moore
BBC News, Berlin

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2006/08/13 10:41:13 GMT

Even before it opened its doors, the exhibition "Forced Paths"
attracted a lot of controversy in the German and Polish media.

The aim of the organisers of the exhibition at the Kronprinzenpalais
on Berlin’s Unter Den Linden Avenue is ambitious – to explore the
plight of millions of people who were forced to flee their homes in
Europe during the 20th Century.

There are dozens of examples of civilians who were expelled in Europe,
ranging from the mass killing of Armenians from 1915-16, the
Holocaust, to refugees in Cyprus and the former Yugoslavia.

There are many objects on display, including suitcases, photo albums
and other personal belongings which the refugees took with them into
exile.

But, controversially, the exhibition also focuses on the suffering of
Germans who were expelled from Poland and Eastern Europe after World
War ll.

German victims

The exhibition has been organised by a foundation closely linked to
the Federation of the Expelled, which represents 12 to 14 million
ethnic Germans, and their descendants, who were forced from their
homes.

"It’s clear that expulsion in the 20th Century was a common instrument
of politicians who did not pay any regard to the fate of humans," said
Erika Steinbach, president of the Centre Against Expulsions
Foundation.

The struggle against totalitarianism, Nazism and
Communism… were the most important parts of 20th Century
history. The expulsion, especially of Germans, was only a
consequence of that Slawomir Tryc
Polish Embassy official

For Ms Steinbach, who is a Christian Democrat politician, this
exhibition is seen as the first step towards setting up a permanent
centre in Berlin to remember the millions of Germans who were expelled
after WWll.

But that is highly controversial, and many politicians and other
groups in Germany are opposed to the idea.

The organisers are hoping that the exhibition will focus attention on
the plight of ethnic Germans who were driven from their homes, but
also the plight of many other Europeans.

"It’s probably not well-known outside Germany that at the end of World
War ll, around 12 million Germans had to leave their homes in the
former eastern German provinces and elsewhere," said Wilfried Rogasch,
the curator of the exhibition.

"It was the largest forced migration in the history of modern
Europe. We show this in European context."

But the exhibition has angered many people in Poland and several dozen
Poles staged a demonstration outside the gallery in Berlin on the
opening night.

‘Re-writing history’
Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski has condemned the exhibition
as a "very bad, worrying and sad event," as it "relativised the
history of the World War ll".

The acting mayor of Warsaw, Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, has cancelled a
trip to Berlin, saying he could not visit the city while the
exhibition was running.

"My visit to Berlin could be misinterpreted and abused under these
circumstances," he said.

Critics argue that the exhibition is an attempt to re-write history,
claiming that Germans are portrayed mostly as victims and the role of
the Nazi regime is overlooked.

"We think that the struggle against totalitarianism, Nazism and
Communism, and the resistance movements, were the most important parts
of 20th Century history. The expulsion, especially of Germans, was
only a consequence of that," said Slawomir Tryc from the Polish
embassy in Berlin.

But the exhibition’s curator says Germans should be able to explore
all aspects of history.

"I think it’s significant to show that Germans were victims after
World War ll," said Mr Rogasch.

"We know that Germans committed many crimes, and that’s well
documented. More than 60 years after the end of the war, we can start
to focus on the fate of 12 million Germans who were expelled. This is
an important part of our national history."

Relations between Berlin and Warsaw are strained, and given the
reaction to this exhibition from the Polish government, it is likely
to deepen the mistrust between the neighbouring countries.