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Pictures of remembrance - Polish-German photographic seminar in Dachau

On May 4-10, 2025, a Polish-German photographic seminar took place at the Max Mannheimer House in Dachau, attended by 16 young people from Poland and Germany. The meeting was not only an opportunity for creative work, but above all for joint, deep reflection on the history of the Dachau concentration camp and ways of remembering the victims of Nazi crimes - 80 years after the end of World War II.

Participants in the seminar spent a week working photographically at the Dachau Memorial and at a lesser-known but equally important site - the former SS Experimental Plant, referred to propaganda-wise as the “Herbal Garden” (German: “Kräutergarten”). This place, known among the inmates as the “plantation,” was one of the most exhausting labor commands in Dachau. Today, although largely built up, it still bears traces of its tragic past. Thanks to special permission from the city, participants were able to enter the former site and photograph the remains of the greenhouse where prisoners once worked under harsh conditions.

A special experience was working with the technique of cyanotypy - a 19th century photographic process that allows to create images using sunlight, water and non-toxic chemicals. For this purpose, the young people used plants collected on the site of the former “plantation”, which became symbolic motifs of memory images. Ulrich Schmitt of the Academy of Fine Arts was responsible for the content side of the photography workshop, introducing participants not only to digital photographic techniques, but also to the unique world of cyanotypes.

The purpose of the week of work was not only to take photographs together, but above all to reflect on ways of remembering the past, to share experiences and to seek their own perspective on a difficult history. The young people also participated in a city game around Dachau (despite the rain!), a joint Polish-German evening, and had the unique opportunity to take night photographs on the grounds of the Memorial.

The seminar culminated with the grand opening of the photographic exhibition on May 9 at the Max Mannheimer House in Dachau. The works presented there show the history of the place from the personal, often very moving perspective of the participants. On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Dachau and Auschwitz camps, photographs created during last year's seminar in Auschwitz were also presented.

The course of this year's meeting, and the photographs of the participants, can be seen on Instagram:

 https://www.instagram.com/erinnerungsbilderobrazypamieci/

The project is organized with the Max Mannheimer Studienzentrum, Dachau in cooperation with the Powiat Oświęcim, Landratsamt Dachau, Ks. Stanislaw Konarski High School No. 1 in Oświęcim and Gymnasium Markt Indersdorf.

The photography workshop was financed by funds from the Polish - German - Youth Office as part of the Keep Remembrance grant program.

Financial support: Powiat Oświęcim, Association Supporting the International Youth Meeting Center in Oświęcim - an association registered in Wolfsburg (FIJA), Association Supporting the International Youth Meeting Center in Oświęcim.

Photo: P. Melzl