Do You Have Memorabilia Showing British Forces Life In Germany?

A historian in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia is appealing for ordinary exhibits that reflect what life has been like since the arrival of the British military after the Second World War.

Dr Bettina Blum has previously curated an exhibition about the British Army in Germany. 

Her new project aims to broaden its scope and include the story of other services like the Royal Air Force in Germany. 

"We’re looking for the experiences of many different people - soldiers, officers, family members, children, teachers, nurses, chaplains - to capture a wide view on what happened in Germany."

She says it is important to look back at 70 years of Anglo-German history and how the cultures have affected each other.

"The British made big changes to the country when they came and immediately Britons and Germans started to mix to exchange thoughts and views."

Dr Blum has already obtained a young boy’s diary describing life in a 1950s forces boarding school and she is on the lookout for more personal stories. 

"These very normal objects which seem so insignificant to ourselves are the things which are most interesting for the visitors of an exhibition.”

The exhibition is due to open in May 2019 in North Rhine-Westphalia’s State Parliament in Dusseldorf.

Anyone with information or memorabilia for Dr Blum can contact her by email: [email protected].