Ein Tatort: Bergen-Belsen / A Place of Crime: Bergen-Belsen

The exhibition A Place of Crime: Bergen-Belsen looks at the crimes committed here as an example of what was happening in many places during the Nazi era. All over Germany, people became perpetrators in similar ways. The exhibition aims to encourage visitors to reflect on their own motives in the context of current society.

The Wehrmacht, SA, SS and also the Foreign Office were responsible for the crimes. However, businesses and tradespeople also helped to keep the camps running, local residents were aware of them. So, what was their motivation for participating in these crimes, supporting them or condoning them by looking the other way? What did the perpetrators think, what did they believe in? What were the reasons for setting up the camps in Bergen-Belsen and what took place here? These questions, in particular “Who?” and “Why?”, are explored in the exhibition and accompanying catalogue.

By engaging with the perpetrators and examining abuser behaviour, we can gain important insights. These empower us to stand up to develop an attitude to current debates and face present-day challenges.