Nach-ge-graben
The excavation campaign “1933-1945 Nachgegraben”
West Berlin, 5 May 1985: Around 60 people – old, young, children – meet on the barren grounds abutting the Berlin Wall to participate in a “remembrance action”. This is where the headquarters of the Secret State Police, the SS and the Reich Security Main Office had stood during the Nazi era. On this Sunday morning, shovels and spades have been provided. The activists start digging.
How did this excavation campaign come about in May 1985? Who were the participants and why was this site so important to them? What did they want to achieve with this action? The answers to these questions are provided in various ways through the online exhibition.
The presentation includes photographs, biographies of the event’s participants and a description of the site’s history and its role in remembrance politics. Forty years after the symbolic excavation, three activists recall the movement’s beginnings, obstacles and achievements in a video interview recorded at the historic site in April 2025.
gehe zu AktionWhat can I find where on the site?
In the Action section you will find a selection of photos from the action. If you click on the marked people and objects , you will find information about some of the people involved at the time and the urban environment.
The Context section shows information on the historical context of the excavation.
In the Area section you will find information on landmarks in the urban environment.
The Timeline section outlines the history of the location.
The Catalogue contains a wide selection of photographs from the excavation campaign and a collection of documents relating to the campaign.
In About you will find information on the creation of this exhibition.
These areas can be accessed from anywhere via the menu.