Clothing is an expression of individuality, free will, and belonging. Its purpose may be decorative or protective and it may temporarily allow us to adopt a different role. Above all the clothes we wear are an expression of our self-determination and humanity. But what is the significance of clothing in a system whose purpose is dehumanization? A system that seeks to destroy the human self? A system that ostracizes, imprisons, and exterminates certain people because of their origin, religion, sexuality, or political convictions?
The author, journalist, and historian Karolina Sulej explores these questions in her book Persönliche Dinge. Was Kleidung aus NS-Lagern uns heute erzählen kann (Personal Things: What Clothing from Nazi Camps Can Tell Us Today, C.H. links Verlag, 2025), which addresses a theme of Holocaust literature that has so far received little attention. Based on archive material, research, literature, and many personal encounters, she shows what clothing can tell us about identity, culture, and the will to survive and how personal things contributed to the preservation of human dignity.
Event information
- Venue
- NS-Dokumentationszentrum München
- Registration
No registration necessary.
- Free of charge