Three generations in the shadow of the past: a film about courage and inheritance

Three generations in the shadow of the past: a film about courage and inheritance

A deep -touching legacy employs three generations of the von Staden family, which is moved into the light by the documentary "It happened on our reason". Wendelgard von Staden, the protagonist, can look back on the dark chapters of the Nazi regime, which took place on the Hofgut on which she grew up. She particularly remembers the detained Jews of the Wiesengrund concentration camp in Vaihingen an der Enz, who tirelessly tirelessly tirelessly worked during her forced labor in her parents. Wendelgard's mother met these weakened people with impressive humanity and managed to save the life of them dozens of them by hiding them.

The film, which can be seen in the ARD Mediathek from July 13, 2025 and was broadcast on the SWR on the same day at 10:05 a.m., not only illuminates the memories of Wendelgard, but also addresses the challenges of her daughter Inga. This struggles with the family heir and is convinced that places such as the Hofgut resemble their own history. Inga trusts that the memory of such places must not be lost.

strokes of fate and remember

The granddaughter of Wendelgard, Gina, also has their say in the documentation. It faces the dark heritage distant, but feels the far-reaching effects of the events and the handling of her family with the family entanglement in the Nazi regime. Such topics are important for many people, not only for those of Staden, but also for the entire society that has to learn from memory.

The more important are memorial sites such as those in Vaihingen that are reminiscent of the events of the Nazi era. ЛюThe von Staden Zaílt from the history of fate of the people in the Wiesengrund concentration camp, where over 178 prisoners suffered from miserable conditions. The memorial in Vaihingen not only offers space for mourning, but also for education about the crimes committed in this dark era.

a dark place in history

Time in the Wiesengrund concentration camp was characterized by suffering and deprivation. From 1944, many prisoners were deported to Vaihingen. When they arrived, they found themselves in a camp that was soon converted into an "SS Hilk and recreation camp". The conditions were catastrophic; Inadequate nutrition and an epidemic demanded many lives. French troops freed the camp on April 7, 1945, but the suffering of the survivors was far from over. 650 of them were evacuated, while many tragic stories remained unsolved, and by the end of 1945 other former prisoners died of the consequences of their detention.

The memory of lost life is of great importance. In 1954 1488 corpses were recovered from mass graves, of which 223 could be identified. The memorial was built a few years later to set a worthy souvenir to the victims and to ensure that the atrocities of the Nazi era never repeat themselves.

The past link with the present is essential to raise awareness. Memorials like in Vaihingen are not just reminder; They also offer a platform to keep the collective memory alive and to promote humanity. At a time when right -wing extremism is increasingly coming up, teaching from history remains of the greatest importance - both for the present and for the future.