Dr Iris Groschek is Head of Public Relations and Social Media at the Foundation of Hamburg Memorials and Learning Centres Commemorating the Victims of Nazi Crimes and a co-initiator of the rememBarcamp. In this interview, she explains what makes the rememBarcamp distinctive and why digital remembrance work can reach people who might never visit a memorial site in person.
What is the rememBarcamp and how did it come about?
Iris Groschek: The rememBarcamp is a barcamp for people working on digital topics at sites of remembrance, memorial sites and other institutions in the field of history and civic education – whether in social media, digital educational formats, games or databases. A barcamp is an opportunity to meet like-minded people, share experiences, learn from one another and develop new projects or campaigns together.
The format has now been running for five years. Every year, we meet at a different memorial site – starting in Ravensbrück and, this time, at the Neuengamme Concentration Camp Memorial. This allows us not only to get to know the sites themselves, but also different ways of working. New people join us each time, too. This is particularly valuable for those who are often the only person responsible for digital topics within their institution.
Why does the rememBarcamp always take place at a memorial site?
IG: Of course, we stay connected digitally throughout the year. But there is no substitute for meeting in person. It is through direct exchange that new ideas and collaborations emerge.
Every memorial site approaches digital formats differently. Learning about these different perspectives is inspiring and often leads to new projects. At the same time, meeting at a memorial site keeps us directly connected to the place of remembrance itself.
What makes the rememBarcamp format special?
IG: Many people working in the digital field are the only ones responsible for these topics within their institutions. At the rememBarcamp, they meet colleagues facing similar challenges. We share best practices, develop solutions together and build lasting connections. One major advantage is the ability to respond quickly and flexibly to current developments: sessions are only proposed and selected once everyone is on site, which means the discussions are always highly topical.
The collaborative nature of the format is particularly important. Many projects originate here. The #GeradeJetzt social media campaign, for example, was developed at a rememBarcamp and later implemented collaboratively.
What distinguishes a barcamp from a traditional conference?
IG: A barcamp has no traditional speakers and no fixed programme. Every participant can bring a topic, question or project. Together, we decide on site which sessions will take place. So at the beginning, we do not know exactly what will be discussed. But this makes it very clear which issues are currently shaping digital remembrance work and which developments are likely to shape the year ahead.
Which topics were the focus this year?
IG: One key topic was artificial intelligence – from the challenges posed by AI-generated fake images to the opportunities it offers for making large datasets accessible and working with digital archives. Social media, digital applications and strategies for educational work also played an important role. At the same time, we repeatedly returned to the question of how memorial sites can make their relevance to society more visible in the digital space and increase their impact by working together.
Why is digital remembrance work so important today?
IG: Memorial sites are no longer just places that people visit in person. Memory culture also needs to be present where public debates take place today – in the digital space. That is where we can reach people who might never visit a memorial site. At the same time, this is where we encounter challenges such as algorithms, disinformation and fake news. This is precisely why it is important for memorial sites to have a presence as credible, research-based institutions and to provide well-researched, evidence-based content. Digital visitors deserve the same attention as those who visit a memorial site in person.
What opportunities does the network create?
IG: What makes the rememBarcamp special is its collaborative spirit. People working at the intersection of digital technologies and memory culture come together with ideas, develop them further and inspire one another. Because there are no hierarchies at a barcamp, everyone meets on equal terms – whether they lead an institution or work on social media as part of a project. This generates new ideas that can develop into campaigns and collaborations and continue to evolve throughout the year.
What has the rememBarcamp achieved in the long term?
IG: The rememBarcamp was a starting point for stronger networking across the field of digital remembrance work. We have become more visible. The Digital History & Memory working group also grew out of a rememBarcamp.
Together, we identify key issues, develop new strategies and strengthen the role of digital remembrance work within our institutions. At the same time, we highlight how important skills such as community management, content creation and digital educational formats are for the future of memory culture. I hope that the importance of this work will gain even greater recognition in the future and that dedicated positions and resources will be created accordingly.