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In the past: ‘Love in wartime. Butterflies in the stomach of the forties’.
20-03-2009
WW2 influenced the love life of a complete generation of people. As always they fell in love: in underground shelters, in hiding places, in trenches or just simply in the street. The exhibition ‘Love in war time’ demonstrates how people survive under difficult circumstances and how feelings can change everything, for what is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ in love?
The new exhibition is on show from October 24th 2008 till November 2nd 2009 in the National Liberation Museum 1944-1945.
The combination love and war is as old as mankind. What makes the relationship between them so special is that under threat of death, life and thus also love affairs and heartache are experienced much more intensely. This is also evident from the many personal stories of married couples and lovers who survived the war and who share their experiences with the visitor.
The exhibition ‘Love in war time’ sheds light on the human side of war. For most people life and therefore also love continued, sometimes interrupted by staying in shelters, going into hiding or during forced labour in Germany. Even in the transition and concentration camps love struck and kept people going. Many women fell for the smartly uniformed occupier or liberator. According to recent research about 8.000 Dutch women had a child by a liberator, considerably less however than the number of children born from relationships with German soldiers: more than 30.000! Obviously the number of love affairs is much higher.
The exhibition also shows subjects like the persecution of homosexuals and the widespread prostitution during the war. And although not romantic love, the intense unconditional friendship between soldiers has also not been forgotten.
Love itself is unpredictable and elusive, but with the aid of among others personal photographs, love letters, wedding gifts, films and sound recordings, war time love stories become alive. This is an intimate exhibition with material never shown before that will quicken your heartbeat!
The exhibition ‘Love in war time’ is from October 24th 2008 - November 1st 2009.
Extra events concerning the exhibition 'Love in Wartime':
April 19, May 3, May 24, June 21, August 23 and September 27: join a guided tour at 2 and 3 pm
April 29, 7.30 pm Talkshow 'Love in Wartime'.Steffie van den Oord, author of the book 'Love in Wartime', presents objects and stories gathered by the museum: diaries, photographs, wedding dresses, wedding presents and personal memories. A musical programme with old favourites provides the background for this trip down memory lane.
May 19, 7.30 pm Theme-night 'Children of German soldiers and Dutch mothers'. Monika Benndorf and Frans van Dreumel tell their life-story about the struggle for self-acceptance and acceptance by society as a child of a German soldier.
July 13, 7.30 pm Concert for 'Love in Wartime' starring The Aylesbury Music Centre Big Band, conducted by Nick Care. This young British Big Band will be playing music by Benny Goodman, Cab Calloway, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Glenn Millar together with fun swing and latin.
September 16, 7.30 pm film 'Una Giornata Particulare'. A film about men, women and homosexuality in Italy during the fascist years. Starring Sofia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, directed by Ettora Scola. The film is preceeded by a short introduction.
The National Liberation Museum 1944-1945.
Visiting address: Wylerbaan 4, 6561 KR Groesbeek, The Netherlands
Tel. +31 24 397 44 04, fax +31 24 397 66 94
info@bevrijdingsmuseum.nl
www.bevrijdingsmuseum.nl
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