The Trek – Photographs of Displacement and Expulsion in Historical Context

The special exhibition “The Trek – Photographs of Displacement 1945” documents the journey of 350 people from Lübchen (today Lubów) in Lower Silesia in January 1945 as they fled the advancing Red Army.

Photographs shape our perception of displacement and expulsion. But who takes these pictures – and for what purpose? What narratives do the images convey? How do they influence our culture of remembrance?

No other refugee trek in 1945 is as extensively documented – in part because taking photos of refugee movements was officially prohibited. The approximately 140 photographs in this exhibition were taken by professional photographer Hanns Tschira and his assistant Martha Maria Schmackeit. Tschira’s agency, "Tschira’s Bilderdienst/Eurofot," had been working since 1943 on behalf of the Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, which granted him special permissions.

The photographs provide insight into the harsh realities of life in displacement: traveling on foot and in horse-drawn carts, in the middle of winter, with only few possessions. They raise important questions: Who fled? Who decided on the route and timing? What role did forced laborers play? How were supplies organized? The exhibition also highlights the differences in individual experiences of flight: this particular trek escaped with relatively few casualties – others ended in tragedy.

Selected photographs from the special exhibition provide an opportunity for joint reflection: What motifs did Hanns Tschira choose? To what extent can universal experiences of displacement be recognized? What do the pictures not show?

To place the visual narratives in their broader historical context, additional photographs from the permanent exhibition are included. These allow us to better understand both the perspectives presented and the gaps in the record – and to explore how such photographs continue to shape our visual memory and perceptions of displacement to this day.

Guided Tour:

• Group size: up to 20 people
• Duration: 75 Minutes
• Languages: German or English
• Fee: Euro 70, (reduced price of Euro 35 for registered associations), free admission
• Bookable: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 10:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (last possible start), Wednesday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (last possible start)
• duration of the speical exhibition: 20 June 2025 to 18 January 2026