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German Exile Archive 1933–1945

The opened "suitcase" of the writer Walter Meckauer - with his stories, observations and reports. A manuscript lies open on the contents of the suitcase.

Against all forms of anti-Semitism

We are shocked by the terrible terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel, and by the anti-Semitism that is so blatantly evident in the world and here in Germany. Celebrating murder and attacks on Jews is intolerable.

The conflict in the Middle East is highly complex and requires differentiated consideration. The situation of the civilian population in Gaza is appalling, and humanitarian aid is urgently required. However, antisemitism, hatred of Jews, must never be the answer, no matter where. We must oppose it with the utmost determination.

With its exile archive, the German National Library took a stand as early as 1949 in association with people who were disenfranchised, persecuted and driven into exile under National Socialism. The exile archive was intended to be "a means of fighting against Nazism". In its cultural education work, it has since campaigned against anti-Semitism and all forms of group-based misanthropy.

About the German Exile Archive 1933–1945

The German National Library’s German Exile Archive 1933–1945 is a platform for discussing the subjects of exile and emigration during the Nazi era. We collect testimonies of exile such as publications, institutional and personal legacies – from all walks of life and regardless of the prominence of the individual concerned. Our goal is to capture the phenomenon of exile in all its variety and to facilitate access to our holdings.

The establishment of the Exile Archive during the early post-war period was initiated by a number of émigrés and other persons, who saw it as an instrument of political enlightenment. This is another reason why we attach particular importance to the dissemination of cultural knowledge: we use exhibitions, publications and a varied events programme to communicate the complexity of exile between 1933 and 1945. We are thus making a significant contribution to a living culture of remembrance.

Exhibitions

Discover the exhibitions of the German Exile Archive 1933–1945 – virtually and on our site in Frankfurt am Main. Find out more about exile between 1933 and 1945 and the people who experienced it. We offer a series of special exhibitions that explore present-day social issues. Authentic testimonies and true stories bring experiences of ostracism, persecution, escape and new beginnings to life. Drop in or visit us online, we look forward to welcoming you!

Exile. Experience and Testimony

Permanent exhibition
Frankfurt am Main

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Reopening of the extended exhibition "Exile. Experience and testimony" Foto: Alexander Paul Englert

"Frag nach, Just ask!" – Digital interactive interviews with Inge Auerbacher and Kurt S. Maier

Exhibition
Frankfurt am Main
8 September 2023 to 20 March 2027

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Graphic, red circle with the lettering "Frag nach, Just ask!", background grey Graphic: Framegrabber Medien GmbH

Exile. Experience and testimony

Virtual exhibition

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Startseite Virtuelle Ausstellung "Exil. Erfahrung und Zeugnis"

Frag nach! – virtual

Virtual exhibition

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Black speech bubbles on a white background

Child emigration from Frankfurt

Virtual Exhibition

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Screenshot of the virtual exhibition "Child emigration from Frankfurt" Drawings: Hamed Eshrat, Birgit Weyhe, Illi Anna Heger, Ilknur Kocer, Sascha Hommer, Magdalena Kaszuba

Arts in exile

Virtual exhibition

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Homepage of the virtual exhibition “Arts in Exile”

Robert Hans Olschwanger – Caricaturist in Exile

Virtual exhibition

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Robert Hans Olschwanger vor seinen Karikaturen Foto: Deutsches Exilarchiv 1933-1945 der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek

Ulrich Becher – Writer in exile

Virtual exhibition

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Ulrich Becher skiing in St. Moritz, 1930s Photo: Swiss Literary Archives

Erika Mann

Virtual exhibition


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The black-and-white photo shows Erika Mann at the age of 43. She is looking toward the right and holding a cigarette between the fingers of her left hand. Photo: Florence Homolka, Source: Münchner Stadtbibliothek/Monacensia

Exhibition archive of the German Exile Archive 1933–1945

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Educational programme

Our educational programme, which includes workshops, guided tours, digital offerings and other formats, invites users to engage with exile history and combines historical accuracy with relevance to the present day. It is available to school classes, students, multipliers in the fields of education, culture and society, and the interested general public.

Discover our educational programme

Events

Take part in events organised by the German Exile Archive 1933–1945 and have your say on issues that affect us all. From exciting readings, inspiring lectures, lively discussions and scientific conferences to programmes spanning several weeks, our events offer rich and varied insights into the topics of exile, remembrance culture and democracy. Meet eyewitnesses to history, debate with experts, and discover perspectives that shed new light on the past and present. Find out now about our free events.

Collections, catalogues, holdings

The experience of exile affects all areas of life. Our holdings and the scope of our collection reflect this diversity. We collect exile publications, personal legacies from people forced into exile, and archives belonging to exile organisations. Our holdings can be researched online in the catalogue of the German National Library. Most of the exile monographs have been digitalised and can be accessed in the reading rooms in Frankfurt am Main and Leipzig. The Anne Frank Shoah Library in Leipzig focuses specifically on the Holocaust and Shoah, anti-Semitism and racism.

Catalogue of the exile collections

Holdings of the German Exile Archive

Digital Exile Press

Jewish periodicals in Nazi Germany

Digital eyewitness testimonies

Anne Frank Shoah Library

Utilisation and service  

Use our holdings for your research. Depending on the type of media, they can be used in Frankfurt am Main or Leipzig. Non-print testimonies to German-language emigration are located at our site in Frankfurt. Historical publications and reference libraries can be accessed in both Frankfurt am Main and Leipzig.

We will gladly answer your questions. Just ask us!

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Video instructions for researching and using the German Exile Archive collection 1933–1945

In German with English subtitles

Exile Archive – professional

Our collection brings together a very wide range of media: publications, archive materials and artefacts. How do these get to us? What criteria do we use to select them? How do we catalogue our holdings? How do we make sure that the originals are preserved? And are there special guidelines for presenting our holdings?

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Short-URL: https://www.dnb.de/EN/dea
Contact: exilarchiv@dnb.de

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