Places of (In)Visibility

How can places be invisible if they still exist? It's not the places themselves that are invisible, but rather the many stories associated with them. "Places of (In)Visibility" focuses on the stories of people who came to Hamburg from East Germany (GDR) at different times and in various ways. These stories span from 1953 to 1989. Tales of escape, emigration, and settling into a new city transform everyday, inconspicuous, or even touristy places into special sites of personal memory.

On five tours and at 16 different stations, you will learn what these places meant to people—and what they still mean today. The memories of contemporary witnesses form the heart of the audio walk. Their stories are contextualized and commented on. Additionally, there are numerous documents to discover at each station. Each tour takes you to three to four stations and lasts about 45 minutes. You can visit the places directly or listen from home—whether you live in Hamburg, are visiting the city, or are simply interested in these places.

The "Places of (In)Visibility" project is a collaboration between the Public History department of the University of Hamburg and the Hamburg State Center for Political Education. It is made possible and funded by the Federal Minister for Media and Culture under the "Youth Remembers" federal program and supported by the Federal Foundation for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship.

After introducing the contemporary witnesses, the first tour starts at the Elbe River at the Platz der Deutschen Einheit (German Unity Square). This location addresses the question of the cultural significance of German Unity Day today. At Trostbrücke 1, the "Refugee Start-Up Aid" organization has been located since 1970. It provided advice, assistance, and material donations, and connected people to important contact points in Hamburg. The organization worked closely with the "Helping Hands" group. Due to their activities, they also came under the scrutiny of the Stasi, which viewed such organizations as hostile and therefore monitored them intensively in Hamburg. At Jungfernstieg, the focus is on how well-known places can also hold personal memories.