From January 19 to February 18, 2024, the Foundation of Hamburg Memorials and Learning Centres is presenting the new traveling exhibition "Right-wing violence in Hamburg from 1945 to the present" at Hamburg’s City Hall.

The history of right-wing violence in Hamburg is hardly known about until now

The beliefs of right-wing extremists are once again being expressed openly in Germany. Acts of violence from the far right are also increasing at an alarming rate. What is the situation in Hamburg? What dangers do the right pose today and what is the continuity from the past? In recent decades, there have been hundreds of acts of violence by the far right in Hamburg, resulting in countless injuries and at least seven deaths. This tradition of right-wing extremist violence has hardly been noticed by the public and is often underestimated.

Making continuities visible

The exhibition "Right-wing violence in Hamburg from 1945 to the present" aims to shed light on the worldviews and acts of violence of the far right in the Hanseatic city. To this end, it takes a look at the actors and networks of both old and new Nazis and shows how right-wing violence has developed and evolved over the decades since the end of the Nazi regime.

The perspective of those affected is important

At the same time, the exhibition tells the stories of those affected by this violence and allows the victims' surviving relatives to have their say. Forms of resistance against the far right from Hamburg society and politics are also described.

Alyn Beßmann-Šišić and Lennart Onken (both from the Foundation of Hamburg Memorials and Learning Centres) curated the exhibition in collaboration with journalist Andreas Speit, a prominent expert on far right activities. The traveling exhibition is sponsored by the Hamburg Parliament and will be presented in the hallway of Hamburg’s City Hall from January 19 to February 18, 2024, to mark the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism.

Additional information

The exhibition is complemented by an extensive program of lectures, tours, discussions, and film screenings:

Program accompanying the exhibition (Flyer, only available in German)

The opening event will take place on January 19, 2024, from 7 to 8.30 p.m. at Hamburg’s City Hall. The speakers will be: Carola Veit, President of the Hamburg Parliament, Prof. Dr. Oliver von Wrochem, Director of the Foundation of Hamburg Memorials and Learning Centres, Gülüstan Avcı, widow of Ramazan Avcı, who was murdered by neo-Nazis, as well as Alyn Šišić and Lennart Onken, curators of the exhibition.

Registration for the event is required: http://veranstaltungen.buergerschaft-hh.de

New website goes live

In addition to the opening of the exhibition, the website rechtegewalt-hamburg.de (an English version is available) goes live. It presents the results of the research project "The far-right in Hamburg. Right-wing extremist violence and forms of action in, with, and against urban society, 1945 to the early 2000s." It is a cooperation between the Research Center for Contemporary History in Hamburg, the Foundation of Hamburg Memorials and Learning Centres Commemorating the Victims of Nazi Crimes, and the Hamburg State Agency for Civic Education. The exhibition’s content forms the basis for the research project.

Opening hours of the exhibition:

Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Visitor services and catalog sales:

Monday to Friday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Two-hour group tours of the exhibition can be booked through museum services: Phone: 040 | 4 28 13 10, e-mail: info@museumsdienst-hamburg.de.

Talep üzerine Ramazan Avcı Inisiyatifi, Türkçe konusan rehber esliginde sergi ziyareti imkanı sunuyor. / Upon request, Ramazan Avcı Initiative offers tours of the exhibition in Turkish. Letisim / Contact: lennart.onken@gedenkstaetten.hamburg.de