Uncovering the NS History of Giessen Family Businesses: A Cinematic Masterpiece

Giessen (pm) – Justus Liebig University’s Master’s degree in Journalism History is offering students the opportunity to create their own film projects. Four students from the program are now presenting their film group project titled “The Legacy – On the NS History of Giessen Family Businesses” at the cinema center. The film explores the history of Giessen under National Socialist rule and delves into the origins of local businesses, including the Kerber department store, the Darré shoe store, and the Sommerlad furniture store.

The film premiere will take place at the cinema center on Bahnhofsstrasse 34 on June 20 at 7 p.m. There will be another screening on Wednesday, June 21 at 6 p.m. at the Oberhessisches Museum (Altes Schloss). Admission to both screenings is free.

The project was inspired by film recordings of the reconstruction of Giessen’s city center after the war and advertising films from the time of the economic miracle. However, the students, Celine Derikartz, Lena Unterhalt, Laura Wilken, and Max Zimmermann, wanted to explore what happened before the war. They sought to uncover the forgotten Jewish business owners of Giessen, examine the impact of anti-Semitism during the Nazi era on the local business community, and investigate the circumstances under which Jewish-owned companies changed hands. The students conducted extensive research in archives, interviewed historians, spoke with current business owners, and scoured Giessen for clues, capturing it all on camera.

“The result is a remarkable cinematic first work,” says Prof. Ulrike Weckel, a historian and Professor of History Journalism at JLU, who supervised the film project alongside Frankfurt filmmaker Sascha Schmidt.

The film project received support from various organizations, including the DEXT department for the promotion of democracy and the prevention of anti-Semitism, the Center for Media and Interactivity at JLU, the Medienanstalt Hessen, and the Offener Kanal Giessen.

This film project serves as a testament to the power of journalism and film in uncovering and preserving historical narratives. It sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of Giessen’s history and highlights the importance of remembering and learning from the past.

justus liebig university giessen

Justus Liebig University’s Master’s degree program in Journalism History is providing an exciting opportunity for students to create their own film projects. Currently, four students from the program have produced a film titled “The Legacy – On the NS History of Giessen Family Businesses” which will be showcased at the cinema center. This documentary delves into the history of Giessen under National Socialist rule and explores the origins of local businesses such as the Kerber department store, the Darré shoe store, and the Sommerlad furniture store.

The premier of the film will take place at the cinema center located on Bahnhofsstrasse 34 on June 20 at 7 p.m. Another screening will be held on Wednesday, June 21 at 6 p.m. at the Oberhessisches Museum (Altes Schloss). Admission is free for both screenings.

The inspiration for this project came from film recordings showcasing the reconstruction of Giessen’s city center after the war, as well as advertising films from the time of the economic miracle. However, the students, Celine Derikartz, Lena Unterhalt, Laura Wilken, and Max Zimmermann, wanted to delve further into the pre-war period. Their goal was to uncover the forgotten Jewish business owners of Giessen, examine the impact of anti-Semitism during the Nazi era on the local business community, and investigate the circumstances under which Jewish-owned companies changed hands. Extensive research was conducted in archives, historians were interviewed, current business owners were consulted, and Giessen itself was searched for clues – all of which was captured on camera.

Professor Ulrike Weckel, a historian and Professor of History Journalism at JLU, supervised the project in collaboration with Frankfurt filmmaker Sascha Schmidt. According to Professor Weckel, this film project is a remarkable debut work in cinematography.

The film project received support from various organizations including the DEXT department for the promotion of democracy and the prevention of anti-Semitism, the Center for Media and Interactivity at JLU, the Medienanstalt Hessen, and the Offener Kanal Giessen.

This thought-provoking film project demonstrates the power of journalism and film in uncovering and preserving historical narratives. It shines a light on a lesser-known aspect of Giessen’s history and emphasizes the importance of remembering and learning from the past.