Places of Cheer - Places of Injustice

Sports grounds and stadiums are places of enthusiasm, emotion and a sense of community. But behind some of these places lies a dark past: during the Nazi era, forced laborers were detained and exploited there under inhumane conditions. The project Places of Joy - Places of Injustice uncovers these little-known chapters of history and makes them visible to a wide audience - digitally, interactively and impressively.

Historical sites are brought to life through the use of digital media and multimedia content. The website jubel-unrecht.de offers an innovative platform to make these places of remembrance accessible in a visual and informative way. With eyewitness accounts, original archive material and historical maps, users can delve deep into the past and understand how closely the history of sport and Nazi forced labor are interwoven.

Our interactive map documents former forced labor camps that existed on or in the immediate vicinity of sports facilities. We rely on the powerful map technology of Mapbox in combination with a flexible database and CMS solution. This combination enables a dynamic visualization of historical locations that can be continuously updated and expanded. Through a combination of historical images, interactive map views and original documents, we make the invisible visible. Visitors can navigate intuitively through various locations and immerse themselves in the stories of the people affected.

The project uses gamification elements to enable even more intensive engagement with the topic. In an interactive mini-game, users can help the fictional character Alma to do research for her fanzine. By solving various tasks and collecting information, they discover important historical background and can write their own article on the topic at the end. This playful approach not only promotes learning, but also creates a personal connection to history.

A special feature of the project is the use of generative artificial intelligence to create illustrations and animations. As historical projects often have limited or incomplete visual material, AI was used to make visual content engaging and impressive. In this way, historical topics can be communicated in a creative and accessible way without having to rely on classic archive images.
The project is aimed at soccer fans, history buffs, educators and journalists. Through digital experiences, we want to raise awareness of the historical context and promote a sustainable culture of remembrance. Our aim is to combine historical responsibility with state-of-the-art media technology - for an interactive and participatory examination of the past.

The project Orte des Jubels - Orte des Unrechts is part of the educational agenda Nazi injustice and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Finance and supported by the Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ). It is being developed in collaboration with the Gestapo Cellar and Augustaschacht memorials as well as local initiatives, archives and historians.