Installation view "Islands of Memories" and S-AR, 2021 Momentum 11. House of Common, Galleri F15, Moss Norway




Copyright 2023 Siri Hermansen
ISLANDS OF MEMORIES
The film investigates how memories and traumas of the Second World War have been transferred and received by the 3rd generation descendants of German families. We get an insight into human processes of adaption, where negotiation mechanisms enter into force for the descendant to carry their family heritage.
In the film we meet Cultural Historian; Georg Habermehl, Psyciatric Nurse; Martin Jansen and Professor in Social Science; Claudia Lenz. Through conversations, the three protagonists reveal different strategies and methods of understanding their family and countries History of the Nazi era. Whereas George Habermehl denies that his grandfather was a Nazi, although he was a high-ranking officer participating in the occupation of Narvik, Norway, Martin Jansen has internalized his family history, trying to fill the whole from his cold upbringing with new ideas that he is transmitting to his own children. Lastly we meet Professor Claudia Lenz whom has filled her adult life as a Memory researcher with WWII as one of her specialities. She says that scientific research on generational studies shows that traumatic events from the 2. World war has been told to the close relatives, but that the receiver often negotiates and transforms these painful memories to something positive, in order to be able to carry their family history. The underlying question in the project, becomes then how we can learn from history?
Film - Extract from Islands of Memories (full lenght 27 min)


