New land without war? The conversion of military sites in Brandenburg. An interview and virtual exhibition project

In the project, the withdrawal and subsequent civilian conversion of the former military sites will be discussed in interviews with contemporary witnesses from politics, conversion practice and civic groups. The aim is to find out not only about the strategies used to cope with the conversion tasks, but also about own experiences the transformation period. The actors of the time will be interviewed both as experts and as contemporary witnesses about the places and their activities against the background of their biographies. The recorded interviews will be presented in an online exhibition. In order to obtain a differentiated picture of the significance of the converted areas for society, it will be possible to upload texts and images via the website as well as to submit individual experiences and perceptions of the former military areas as well as suggestions for their further use.

Research questions and project aims
The relevance of Brandenburg's handling of the conversion sites goes beyond the mere history of transformation and their local significance. What should be done with the “military waste”? How are political, market-economic, social and socio-ecological interests weighed up in the conversion process? Who decides on the future functions? How can a reconciliation process, based on the material remains of the military, be sustainably shaped after the end of the conflict and by whom? Collecting the experiences of contemporary witnesses in Brandenburg and placing them in their historical context will be a valuable contribution to transformation research. The various strategies for coping with the disruptive consequences of the withdrawal, although embedded in their political and temporal contexts, also show universal elements and questions. They can serve as important comparative examples in other regions and post-conflict societies. In addition to the scientific claim, the project aims to recall the peaceful legacy of the non-violent withdrawal of allied troops from Germany in today's times of crisis through the planned online transfer products and their participatory character.

The project in cooperation with Irmgard Zündorf from the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam