“Gedenken Neu Denken” – Report on a Reading and Discussion with Susanne Siegert
Susanne Siegert uses social media, under the name @keine.erinnerungskultur, to provide information on topics such as the Holocaust, Nazi crimes, memorial work, and historical and political education. This allows her to reach younger target groups. She is currently one of the best-known voices in digital remembrance culture in German-speaking countries.
Remembrance culture as an active task
The evening focused on the thesis that remembrance culture is not a closed practice, but an active social task in which many people are involved. Susanne Siegert argued that we should not see ourselves merely as listeners or consumers of history, but as active participants in the discourse of remembrance.
At the beginning of the reading, she deliberately drew a contrast between the familiar images of the Holocaust that first come to mind, such as Auschwitz, and less prominent places such as the Dachau subcamp Mühldorfer Hart, near which she grew up. This “clash” also marked the starting point of her own exploration of Nazi history. Her intensive research work developed from the question of what role such lesser-known places played in the Nazi camp system. She has been presenting her findings for more than three years in the form of short videos on social media.
Her research began in online archives, and Susanne Siegert encouraged people to enter their own city into the search engines. For everyone in Hamburg, there are numerous documents and traces that show how closely the city was linked to the system of Nazi persecution and violence. Her research also made it clear that many crime scenes were located beyond the well-known camps—often in the middle of cities and regions that are now perceived as everyday living spaces.
From drawing a line under the past to drawing a line between the past and the present
A central idea of her book is the conscious departure from the narrative of “drawing a line under the past.” Instead, Siegert speaks of “drawing a line between the past and the present”: they called for a change of perspective, shifting the focus from, for example, the exclusive consideration of Auschwitz to an examination of regional crime scene histories. In this context, she said: “The history of the Holocaust is much more than the two or three most famous images of its central crime scene.”
Another theme Siegert addresses is the shift away from a highly personalized narrative of perpetrators, which focuses on individual perpetrators, toward an understanding of a society of perpetrators in which many were involved in crimes—through action, participation, or turning a blind eye. This change in perspective was also evident in the topic of resistance. Siegert contrasted the focus on resistance fighters known in today's society with lesser-known forms of resistance: the resistance of the persecuted themselves, forms of everyday solidarity, and stories that have been largely invisible until now. In this context, she presented the biography of Helene Jacobs, who was honored as “Righteous Among the Nations,” and read a relevant passage from her book. She also addressed queer resistance.
Another “divide” concerned the view of survivors. Siegert distinguished between the often-conveyed image of survivors who have come to terms with the past and their perpetrators and are comfortable talking about their experiences. Opposed to those who still hold anger and trauma that prevents them from establishing a distance from the past.
At the same time, she raised the question for discussion: “Am I even allowed to write this book?” – given that she is not actually a historian, but a journalist. Her answer to this question lies in the book's aim to highlight the different perspectives she has encountered in the course of her research, which has now spanned several years, and to bring them into public debate and thus into the discourse on remembrance.
Remembrance and the present
Another focus of the reading, which attracted a large audience and media interest, was the examination of current political debates. Susanne Siegert addressed the role that the shift to the right in society, the AfD, and political polarization play in her work and in the culture of remembrance as a whole. Here, too, she advocated for a separation: between simplistic comparisons or exaggerated slogans on the one hand and serious, respectful debate on the other.
Auschwitz is often used as an argument to justify positions that could actually be explained by basic humanity. However, remembrance should not be subject to conditions or exploited. It is always relevant, regardless of current political developments.
The reading concluded with another lengthy passage from her book, in which these thoughts were summarized once again. Siegert made it clear that dealing with the Holocaust does not require any additional legitimation. The crimes of National Socialism continue to have an impact today – in family histories, in the traumas of the descendants of victims and perpetrators, in cities, in memorials, and in social structures. Commemoration is therefore not an automatic consequence of history, but a conscious decision that must – and should – be made again and again.
Question and answer session: Deepening perspectives
The reading was followed by an extensive question and answer session moderated by journalist Victoria Reichelt. Questions were asked on various aspects.
The writing process was challenging and differed significantly from her work for social media. The book combines journalistic research with personal moments and opens up perspectives that are not possible in short formats.
Another focus of the Q&A session was the open approach to dealing with perpetrators in her own family. Siegert explained that she was never interested in assigning blame, but rather in breaking down family myths and taking an honest look at history. She said that this process had helped her to better understand her own influences. Her family has been largely supportive throughout this process.
The role of social media in the culture of remembrance was also discussed intensively. Siegert noted that the culture of remembrance on digital platforms has so far often been driven by individuals, while institutional actors are still cautious. Yet social media offers great potential for reaching people who would otherwise have little contact with Nazi history in a low-threshold way. Complex topics can be communicated if they are presented in a concrete, focused, and understandable way.
However, there are also clear limits to what can be shown. Particularly degrading images of victims are not shown. Instead, an explanation is given as to why such images are problematic, and alternative forms of communication are sought. Despite the risks associated with presentation on social media, such as disinformation or algorithmic restrictions, but also personal attacks, the benefits outweigh the risks. The interest of young people is clearly noticeable.
AI-generated representations of the Nazi era were also discussed. Siegert assessed these critically, but at the same time saw them as a sign of great interest. This makes it all the more important to respond to this interest with well-founded and factually correct offerings, rather than leaving AI to those actors who distort history.
Finally, the discussion turned to political responsibility beyond symbolic gestures. Remembrance should not be limited to commemorative days, but must be reflected in concrete political decisions, funding, and attitudes in everyday life.
Conclusion
The reading and subsequent discussion at the St. Nikolai Memorial showed how diverse the culture of remembrance can be conceived and shaped today. The evening combined historical research with personal perspectives, digital communication with traditional remembrance work, and showed that remembrance is an ongoing process that is open to new questions, new approaches, and new participants.
The event was a collaboration between the St. Nikolai Memorial and the Hamburg Memorials and Learning Sites Foundation for the Remembrance of the Victims of Nazi Crimes. It was sponsored by the Alfred Toepfer Foundation.
Report by Lina-Marie Mittelbach
