About us
home

The Association for Studying, Researching and Imparting the History of the German Resistance 1933–1945 [shortened form: German Resistance Research Council] – a registered society – was founded in 1967 in Frankfurt / Germany. Foundation members were scientists like Prof. Dr Wolfgang Abendroth, Prof. Dr Hans W. Bartsch, Prof. Dr Walter Fabian, Prof. Dr Heinz Joachim Heydorn, Prof. Dr Walter Klafki, Dr Arno Klönne and Edgar Weick and former Resistance fighters and victims of the Nazi-regime like Oskar Müller, D. Martin Niemöller, Dr Max Oppenheimer, Dr Josef Rossaint, Robert Scholl and Günter Weisenborn.

Research into the period of antifascist Resistance between 1933 and 1945 in its entire political and social range is one of the most important tasks of the German Resistance Research Council. Main emphasis is put on publicizing aspects concerning the Resistance that are scarcely noticed or ignored by the public.
 
The German Resistance Documentary Archives are open three days a week. Documents and further information concerning the period between 1933 and 1945 are available for everybody who is looking for material mainly about the antifascist Resistance, Nazi-persecution, forced labour, the Nazi-concentration-camp-system and the various groups that have been victims to the Nazi-regime.

The German Resistance Documentary Archives offer a wide range of scientific literature, written and photographic records – some of which are interviews with former Resistance fighters –, scientific advice, talks with contemporary witnesses and arrangements of contacts.

The German Resistance Research Council accompanies research on local history and study projects of schoolchildren and students. It organizes events, readings, lectures and seminars on an irregular basis. Direct, or supporting and consultative collaboration with many associations linked with memorial places, organizations of former concentration camp detainees or victims of persecution has been established.

The main points of emphasis in the research and documentary activity of the German Resistance Research Council changed over the decades; nonetheless this was always meant to be a corrective for the selective perception that the Resistance has been subject to in the German public.

In the beginning the Resistance of the labour movement had been in the centre of attention. Over time research into the resistance history of groups that have not been noticed like women, young people, Jews and Jehova’s witnesses has been included. 

(Extract from the statute:)

Ҥ2: It is the purpose of this association to research and impart the history of the German Resistance against National Socialism over the period from 1933 to 1945.

The German Resistance Research Council runs the “German Resistance Documentary Archives”.

Research-results will be open the public.

On this behalf the periodical “informationen” is published (which is free for members).

The association strives for a collaboration with all groups and institutions that are active in a similar or equal field.”

Committee members:

- Elke Engelhard, executive board
- Dirk Krüger, executive board
- Cora Mohr, executive board
- Reinhard Bähnisch, Sven Lewin
- Heiko Lüßmann, Gabriele Prein