Mid-July, the Memory Studies Association (MSA) conference took place in Prague. As part of the event, a workshop was held by Lukas Schretter, Michaela Tasotti, Nadjeschda Stoffers, and Mathieu Mahve-Beydokhti focusing on the Memory Lab project, which explored the topic of “Lebensborn.” The workshop also addressed OIS (Open Innovation Science) and participatory research.

“A particular challenge”

The organizers described the background of this workshop as follows:
“Participatory research, which actively involves affected individuals or interest groups in the research process, presents a particular challenge when applied to the historical and emotional complexities of National Socialism. Nevertheless, it is gaining increasing importance in fields such as memory culture and historical education—especially when both perpetrator and victim perspectives are addressed. This approach examines the (in)stability of historical memory and engages with the tensions between past experiences and present-day interpretations.”

Memory Lab

The Memory Lab investigated the history of the only SS-run “Lebensborn” maternity home located within what is now Austrian territory, where women deemed “racially suitable” by the SS gave birth to so-called “racially valuable” children. In collaboration with “Lebensborn” children, their families, and residents of the region, the project was accompanied by a transdisciplinary academic support group and supplemented by “impact management” for impact analysis.

The 1.5-hour workshop centered on four videos that provided insights into the project’s conception and implementation, encouraging reflection on the concept of “impact” in participatory historical research. This was followed by a discussion on the opportunities and challenges of participation in research.