Matthias Kirchbach: Migration nach 1945 in der regionalen Erinnerungskultur im Siegerland (2026, Ph.D. dissertation)

Migration is a historical constant and has also had a lasting impact on the Siegerland region. In the region’s collective memory, “flight and expulsion” from the areas east of the Oder and Neisse rivers, the migration of foreign workers - referred to at the time as “guest workers”- and the immigration of (late) repatriates have left a particularly deep mark.

The study examines public memory of migration in the Siegerland region since 1945 from a diachronic and comparative perspective, exploring the media and practices involved as well as their significance for the region’s culture of remembrance. Particular attention is paid to the perspectives and interpretations contributed by the migrants and their role within the landscape of actors and institutions.