About us
The supporting organisation of the Documentation Centre is the Foundation for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation, which was established by the German Bundestag in December 2008 as a non-party, dependent foundation under public law. The Foundation is under the organising institution of the Foundation Deutsches Historisches Museum (DHM). It is funded by the State Minister for Culture and the Media.
Boards
The bodies of the Foundation for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation are the Foundation Board and the Scientific Advisory Board.
The Foundation Board of the Federal Foundation for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation has the following composition:
For the German Bundestag:
- Stephan Mayer MdB
- Awet Tesfaiesus MdB
- Marianne Schieder MdB
- Thomas Hacker MdB
For the Federal Government:
- Chairman: Dr. Andreas Görgen, Leitender Beamter bei der Beauftragten der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien (BKM)
- Secretary of State Katja Keul MdB, Federal Foreign Office
- Jörn Thießen, Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community
For the Federation of Expellees (BdV):
- Prof. Dr. Bernd Fabritius
- Stephan Grigat
- Christian Knauer
- Iris Ripsam MdB
- Johann Thießen
- Editha Westmann MdL
For the Evangelical Church in Germany:
- Dr. Johann Hinrich Claussen
- Prof. Dr. Katja Lembke
For the Catholic Church in Germany:
- Weihbischof Dr. Reinhard Hauke
- Dr. Jörg Lüer
For the Central Council of Jews in Germany:
- Mark Dainow
- Barbara Traub
Members by virtue of office:
- Prof. Dr. Harald Biermann, President of the Foundation »Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland«
- Prof. Dr. Raphael Gross, President of the Foundation »Deutsches Historisches Museum« as supporting foundation of the Foundation for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation
The International Scientific Advisory Board advises the Foundation Board and the Director on technical issues in accordance with the Foundation's purpose. It consists of 15 members who are appointed by the Foundation Council.
The Scientific Advisory Board has the following composition:
- Dr. Mathias Beer, Institute of Danube Swabian History and Regional Studies, Tübingen
- Dr. Simone Blaschka, German Emigration Center, Bremerhaven
- Prof. Dr. Monika Fenn, University of Potsdam, Department of History
- Prof. Dr. Mary Fulbrook, University College London, European Institute, Great Britain
- Deputy Chair: Dr. Anna Haut, Museum Friedland, Friedland
- Prof. Dr. Hans-Lukas Kieser, University of Zurich, Department of History, Switzerland
- Prof. Dr. Frank-Lothar Kroll, Chemnitz University of Technology, Faculty of Humanities
- Chair: Prof. Dr. Stephan Lehnstaedt, Touro College Berlin – Campus am Rupenhorn
- Prof. Dr. Kerstin von Lingen, University of Vienna, Department of Contemporary History, Austria
- Prof. Dr. Piotr Madajczyk, Institute of Political Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- Ondřej Matějka, Eduzměna Foundation Fund, Prague, Czech Republic
- Prof. Dr. Norman Naimark, Stanford University, Department of History, USA
- Prof. Dr. Maren Röger, Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe, Leipzig und Leipzig University, Department of History
- Prof. Dr. Michael Schwartz, Leibniz Institute for Contemporary History Munich, Berlin und University of Münster
- Univ.-Prof. Dr. Miloš Vec, University of Vienna, Department of Legal and Constitutional History, Austria und Institute for Human Sciences, Vienna, Austria
History of the Foundation
2005
In the coalition agreement of the CDU, CSU and SPD of November 2005, the three governing parties committed themselves "to the social and historical reappraisal of forced migration, displacement and expulsion". They decided to set a "visible sign" in Berlin "to [...] remember the injustice of expulsions and to outlaw expulsion forever".
2008
In March 2008, the Federal Government presented the concept for a "Visible Sign against Displacement and Expulsion". On this basis, the German Bundestag passed the law on the establishment of a foundation "German Historical Museum" (DHMG) in December 2008. Section 2 of the law regulates the establishment of the Foundation for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation as a dependent foundation within the German Historical Museum Foundation.
2009
The constituent meeting of the Foundation Council of the Foundation for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation took place on 13 May 2009. At its meeting in July 2009, the Board elected Prof. Dr. Manfred Kittel as Founding Director and appointed a Scientific Advisory Board.
2010
The expanded Foundation Board, elected by the Bundestag on 7 July 2010, convened for its constituent meeting on 25 October 2010 under the chairmanship of the Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Minister of State Bernd Neumann. The members unanimously welcomed the "Basic Points for the Work of the Foundation for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation and the planned Permanent Exhibition" drawn up by the Foundation as a good basis for consultation.
At its meeting on 22 November 2010, the Foundation Board appointed a new, expanded Scientific Advisory Board.
Following a competition, the firm of Marte.Marte Architekten ZT GmbH (Weiler/Austria) was commissioned with the conversion of the Deutschlandhaus at the Anhalter Bahnhof.
2011
The Federal Government designated the Deutschlandhaus at Anhalter Bahnhof in Berlin as the future location of the Documentation Centre of the Foundation for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation.
2013
On 28 January 2013, the consortium ANNABAU Architektur und Landschaft with the artist Via Lewandowsky was commissioned with the design of the outdoor facilities and the "art on the building" after a competition.
On 11 June 2013, the construction of the Documentation Centre of the Foundation for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation took place in the Deutschlandhaus with Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel and the Commissioner for Culture and Media, Minister of State Bernd Neumann.
2014
On 15 December 2014, the Foundation Council relieved Prof. Dr Manfred Kittel of his duties.
2015
Am 30. November 2015 bestimmt der Stiftungsrat Uwe Neumärker zum Interimsleiter der Stiftung.
2016
On 22 February 2016, Dr. Gundula Bavendamm was elected as the new director by the Foundation Council and took office on 1 April 2016.
On 17 October 2016, the Foundation Council, chaired by the Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Minister of State Prof. Monika Grütters, appointed a new Scientific Advisory Board with 12 members.
On 17 October 2016, the topping-out ceremony for the Foundation's future Documentation Centre was celebrated. In the presence of the State Minister for Culture and the Media, Minister of State Prof. Monika Grütters, the Director of the Foundation's Documentation Centre. Monika Grütters, the Head of the Department of Construction, Construction Industry and Federal Buildings in the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), Monika Thomas, the President of the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR), Petra Wesseler, the Spokesman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Institute for Real Estate Management (BImA), Jürgen Gehb, and the architect Stefan Marte, the topping-out wreath was ceremoniously raised over the new building in the presence of numerous builders, planners, participants and guests.
2017
On 20 June 2017, the Foundation publishes the concept for the permanent exhibition. The Foundation Council had previously approved the paper unanimously.
2018
On 28 June 2018, the Foundation Council unanimously approved the concept for the library and the testimony archive of the Documentation Centre.
2019
On 18 July 2019, the Foundation Board unanimously approved the concept for education and outreach.
2020
On 09 March 2020, the Foundation Board unanimously approved a concept for special exhibitions and a utilisation concept for the Room of Stillness.
On 9 June 2020, the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR) officially handed over the keys to the Foundation.
2021
The Documentation Centre for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation was completed, the permanent exhibition was set up, and the archive and library moved into the building. On 21 June 2021, the Documentation Centre was opened with a ceremony attended by the Federal Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel and the Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Minister of State Prof Monika Grütters, and was handed over to the public on 23 June 2021.