Being an Outsider – What Does That Mean? (2019–2020)

As part of the multimedia theatre project “Being an Outsider – What Does That Mean?”, survivors of Nazi persecution and school students jointly developed a performance addressing the dangers of a resurgent nationalism. Young people with and without a migration background explored the biographies of the survivors and incorporated them directly into the theatre performance in the form of video sequences. Videos featuring the life stories of those persecuted under National Socialism were also published online. In addition, the students created a video blog in which they shared their personal thoughts on the project.

Working together with the survivors gave the students an opportunity to engage with the history of the Nazi era at first hand. During the development of the performance, they received professional support from a director and a videographer, acquired new multimedia skills and had the opportunity to experiment creatively together.

For the survivors of Nazi persecution, the project provided an opportunity to engage and exchange with the younger generation. The attention and interest shown by the young people was a meaningful form of recognition, while their life stories were also documented for the future.

The film premiere of “Being an Outsider– What Does That Mean?” took place in Cologne on 13 September 2020. You can watch the full evening, including the subsequent panel discussion, here.

If you would like to watch the film only, you can do so here.