Teaching history and preserving the collective memory of the victims of Nazism are the concepts at the heart of this idea by FC St. Pauli Museum - 1910 e.V. and digital agency Generation Digitale GmbH & Co. KG. With the help of an AI- and augmented reality-based app, the stories behind Stolperstein ‘stumbling block’ plaques will be told, with images and information being displayed in the users’ real environment. In this way, the app combats history being forgotten and the denial of historical facts.
‘Stolpersteine erleben gegen das Vergessen’ ‒ an AI-based AR app to stop history being forgotten
Why are you a strong team?
The partners have previously worked together successfully. With Generational Digitale GmbH & Co. KG, there is proven digital expertise on board. 1910 e.V. and its BAM out-of-school learning venue contribute pedagogical competence. On top of that, there is experience in historical topics and in realising complex projects.
Another factor is the values and community that FC St. Pauli e.V. symbolises, which ensure additional loyalty and motivation to achieve our shared goal.
Explain your idea in three sentences.
‘Stolpersteine erleben gegen das Vergessen’, an augmented-reality app, will be a contemporary solution that adds a face to the name on Stolperstein memorial plaques and tells the story behind them. It will identify individual Stolperstein plaques and display images of and information about the Nazis’ victims directly around the plaques, bringing history and stories to the visible world and building a direct link to the present day for users.
What makes your idea special?
It ties innovative technology with the universal language of sport to facilitate thoughts and sympathy for historical victims and foster understanding and dialogue in the present day. By using AI and augmented-reality technology, it enables interactive and participatory formats, appeals to younger users in particular and contributes to collective remembrance of the victims of the Nazi regime. A contribution to strengthening democracy in a civil society. Remembering means changing.
What are the next steps?
We will turn the idea into a concept. Discussions with further stakeholders to keep refining the idea. Researching additional sources of data and identifying cooperation partners. Developing a prototype that we will test with users. Fleshing out the local roll-out planning and our thoughts about then bringing it nationwide. Our plan once we have finished concept development is to have everything so prepared that we can start realising the actual app if we have additional funding.
Contact the project team
- Contact person: Nantjen Küsel
- E-mail: Nantjen.Kuesel[at]1910-museum.de
The Policy Lab of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs