Raphael Gross

From 1939 to 1945, Germany occupied almost all of Europe. Around 230 million people in 27 of today’s European countries were affected. The violence and the crimes perpetrated by the occupiers have left an indelible mark on many of these societies. The German population, though, knows very little about Nazi rule in the occupied countries. Against this backdrop, the German Bundestag has decided to establish a new documentation centre devoted to the occupation regime and has commissioned the Deutsches Historisches Museum to draw up a proposal for implementing the project. The topic, which is of great importance for all of Europe, will shape the work of the Deutsches Historisches Museum in the years to come. We are taking the opportunity to examine the occupation in the fourth issue of our magazine Historical Judgement. For us as a museum, one central aspect of the following articles is the question of how to deal with the German occupation regime in our exhibitions and our collection. How can violence be exhibited? What objects document the history of violence during the German war of extermination and Nazi rule in occupied Europe? What stories do they tell, and what perspectives do they ignore? The authors explore these and other questions in an issue titled “Europe and Germany 1939–45: Violence in the Museum”. Over the last few weeks, a new chapter in the history of violence in Europe has begun. Nineteenth and twentiethcentury events are being used to legitimise the current violence. Our central task – honing our “historical judgement” – appears all the more important.

We have received comprehensive support for our work from a private initiative. It is thanks to Christiane and Nicolaus Weickart that we have been able to produce this magazine and organize a symposium of the same name. The trust they have placed in us and the freedom this has given us are a special gift.