Hope and Despair

German-Danish project connects museums, knowledge institutions and tourism agencies

When the end of the Second World War 80 years ago comes to the fore next year worldwide, but especially in Europe, the Interreg 6A-funded Hope and Despair project will be ready and waiting:

Seven museums and memorials (see map) on the German and Danish sides are currently developing innovative concepts for hybrid history exhibition and communication techniques together with the knowledge institutions Design School Kolding, University College Syd, Kiel University of Applied Sciences and Europa-Universität Flensburg, which will bring the Second World War and its horrors, but also impressively portray life-affirming stories of survival despite all adversity closer to visitors and interested parties.

Flensburg is not only centrally located between the participating museums and memorials, but also played a special role at the end of the war - and not only in connection with the "Flensburg government", which brought the city of Flensburg to the center of world attention for a brief moment with its end 15 days after the surrender.

In addition to this bizarre chapter of Nazi history, Flensburg and the surrounding area offer many other places of remembrance that can be discovered digitally or in analog form: That is why we, as the Tourismus Agentur Flensburger Förde, are also actively involved in this project. Alongside the aforementioned innovative educational concepts, we will use exciting storytelling to arouse curiosity about the city's history and professionally market the new exhibition and communication techniques together with other regional tourism destinations to the relevant target groups.