Who were the people that the Nazi regime "made into enemies"? How far terror and arbitrary persecution affected even non-Jewish people is still unknown to many today. The project #ZumFeindGemacht therefore focuses on the life stories of a wide range of persecuted groups, including teenage swing music fans, people with disabilities, so-called “asocials,” queer people, and those who simply spoke their minds.
#ZumFeindGemacht conveys that the Nazi regime’s reign of terror targeted a diverse society in Germany. Many people today still face discrimination and exclusion. By drawing connections to the present, the project highlights the importance of standing up for a tolerant and inclusive society and defending democracy today.
The Federal Association Information and Advice for Survivors of Nazi Persecution (Bundesverband Information & Beratung für NS-Verfolgte e.V.) launched #ZumFeindGemacht in 2022, during the 30th anniversary of the association and the commemorative year of reparations, with funding from the German Federal Ministry of Finance. The funding ended at the end of 2025. Since February 2024, #ZumFeindGemacht has been part of the thematic portal “Reparations for Nazi Injustice” ("Wiedergutmachung nationalsozialistischen Unrechts". The scientifically researched biographies are published with historical background information on a multimedia website (www.zumfeindgemacht.de), in the #ZumFeindGemacht podcast, and on social media channels including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.
Low-threshold, illustrative, and participatory, #ZumFeindGemacht reached over 100,000 followers in 2025 and has become one of the most successful projects of the Federal Association Information and Advice for Survivors of Nazi Persecution.
#ZumFeindGemacht has received recognition and attention beyond social media. Media outlets, educational experts and civil society organisations have taken up the project and highlighted its innovative approach to combining historical education with contemporary forms of digital communication.
The project has also been recognised through awards and nominations. #ZumFeindGemacht exemplifies a contemporary approach to engaging with the history of National Socialism and demonstrates how historical content can reach a broad audience – particularly younger people – through social media.
Awards & Nominations
Media Coverage & Recommendations
Contact:
Lena Knops
0221 17 92 94 18
knops@nsberatung.de
