Advocating for Harmony and Liberty
In the wake of the Corona pandemic, the Mahn and Memorial Site in Düsseldorf and the Apeldoorn Centre for Contemporary Culture (ACE) have joined forces to present an extraordinary exhibition titled "75 Years of Peace and Freedom in Apeldoorn and Düsseldorf." The exhibition, which is open to the public from July 7 to September 6, is primarily being shared digitally due to the ongoing pandemic.
The exhibition consists of ten panels, displayed in both locations, offering insights in English. The initiative for this project was taken by the Gelre Association International Apeldoorn and the Mahn and Memorial Site.
The project is a result of a youth exchange programme between students from Düsseldorf's Friedrich-Rückert-Gymnasium and Apeldoorn's Veluws College Mheenpark. Since September 2019, these students have been studying the historical situation in the spring of 1945, the resistance actions, and their significance for the present.
The commemorative events for the end of the war in both cities could not take place as planned due to the pandemic. However, the students' efforts culminated in the creation of posters summarizing their findings about dealing with the past for the present in a European context.
Both Düsseldorf and Apeldoorn share a parallel liberation history. Resistance groups in both cities surrendered to nearby Allies independently on April 16, 1945, leading to a peaceful liberation on April 17, 1945. The exhibition is a commemoration of this 75th anniversary.
To protect visitors and staff, a limited number of visitors (up to 10 at a time) are allowed, and hygiene and distance rules according to the Corona Protection Ordinance must be observed. Visitors must wear a mouth and nose cover inside the building. Admission to the Mahn and Memorial Site is free.
The exhibition, which is a photographic and informative retrospective on the project, aims to share the students' exchange and experiences with the citizens of both cities. It explores the historical significance of the resistance actions and their impact on the present.
The Mahn and Memorial Site, located at Mühlenstraße 29, has reopened to the public since May 12. With the exhibition, the students have created a unique opportunity for citizens of both cities to reflect on their shared history and values of freedom, fostering cross-cultural understanding and strengthening German-Dutch relations.
- The students' project, which is part of the exhibition, delves into the concept of sustainable living by examining the historical resistance actions in both Düsseldorf and Apeldoorn, and their implications for current lifestyle and home-and-garden choices.
- The exhibition, aside from commemorating the 75th anniversary of peaceful liberation in Düsseldorf and Apeldoorn, also showcases the students' findings on how these historically significant events influence trends in sustainable living and home-and-garden practices.
