Perpetrators, Victims, Heroism: War Memorials in Baden-Württemberg
This project is a journey through time to the fateful interwar years (1919 to 1939). Through the design of the war memorials, their symbolism, and motifs—which reflect the ideological concepts and emotional climate of the time they were created—it becomes clear how an increasingly nationalistic and revanchist society was driven into World War II. These memorials served both as tributes and as statements of intent.
A Changing Culture of Remembrance
Immediately after the end of World War I, memorials to fallen soldiers were erected in nearly every village and town in Germany. They were intended to give meaning to the soldiers’ deaths and provide a place of mourning for the bereaved. The names of the fallen and missing are often identical to those of long-established families. The design, symbolism, and motifs of the monuments reflect the ideologies and emotional landscape of the era in which they were created.
These monuments reveal the shift in German mentality—from the end of World War I through the Weimar Republic to the Nazi regime. They convey the messages they represent in a vivid and powerful way.
Dr. Folkhard Cremer
The Project
This book project documents, through photography, approximately 50 war memorials from World War I in Baden-Württemberg. Historical postcards and photographs illustrate how these memorials were perceived at the time. The engagement of later generations is also included: portraits of people who engage with the memorials through art, research, maintenance, or writing build a bridge to the present.
Photographic Approach
Some of the monuments are photographed at night using a flash, which emphasizes the often theatrical gestures while the surroundings remain invisible due to underexposure. The lighting design highlights themes of grief, pain, and loss as well as defiance, outrage, and revenge.
Context
Historical postcards and photographs illustrate their contemporary reception. The engagement of later generations is also included: portraits of people who engage with the monuments through art, research, care, or writing build a bridge to the present.
