Press release: Finding out: unjustly collected?
No. 184 - 19.11.2025
Special exhibition at Forum Wissen Göttingen on the subject of provenance
“Nachgefragt: Unrecht gesammelt?” (Finding out: unjustly collected?) is a special exhibition at the knowledge museum of the University of Göttingen. The topic explores the issue of “provenance research” also known as “origin research” – meaning the study of an object’s history and ownership from its creation to understand its origin, verify its authenticity and question its legal and ethical acquisition. This exhibition focuses on objects held in the museums and collections of southern Lower Saxony. It runs from 12 December 2025 to 17 May 2026 and is in the large special exhibition area in the Forum Wissen Göttingen.
Books, clothes pegs, a coat hanger are – at first glance – just everyday objects. However, each has its own emotional journey and particular meaning. In Nazi Germany, many objects were unlawfully confiscated from their original owners, simply because the owners were Jewish, members of unions, Freemasons or working as forced labour. In addition, human remains were taken from the former German colonies, as well as objects from different ethnic communities, and brought back by animal trappers who were part of the animal trade in the town of Alfeld well into the 20th century.
The exhibition highlights that, from today's perspective, many items have entered our museums unlawfully. Above all, it makes visible the people who had a personal connection to these objects. Large-format illustrations by artist Melanie Lüdtke provide an emotional connection to these people, now that only a few written records remain to tell their story.
The exhibition was curated by Juliane Gehler from the Knowledge Research team at Forum Wissen. A number of pop-up events took place in Alfeld, Osterode and Uslar in the run-up to the exhibition. During these events, the local population was asked which aspects of provenance research they found particularly interesting. Their questions formed the starting point for the exhibition.
The exhibition was a collaborative project between the Landschaftsverband Südniedersachsen e.V. (South Lower Saxony Regional Association) and Göttingen University’s Centre for Collection Development. It is primarily based on the findings of provenance research conducted by Dr Christian Riemenschneider and Dr Holger Stoecker.
Information for visitors:
The exhibition runs from 12 December 2025 to 17 May 2026 and everyone is welcome to attend the opening on Thursday 11 December at 18:30. The exhibition will be accompanied by a varied programme of events and admission to both the exhibition and the special events is free of charge.
The special exhibition: https://www.forum-wissen.de/sonderausstellungen/nachgefragt/
The Forum Wissen: www.forum-wissen.de/en/home-en/
Address: Forum Wissen, Berliner Straße 28, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
Information for the Press
Journalists are warmly invited to an online press conference in German on Monday 8 December at 13:15. The following will be available: Dr Sandra Potsch, Head of the Forum Wissen, Juliane Gehler, Forum Wissen, Curator, and Astrid Vettel, Museum Consultant, Regional Association of Southern Lower Saxony. Please confirm attendance by 4 December by email: eva.voelker@zvw.uni-goettingen.de. In addition, the members of the press are warmly invited to attend an in-person tour of the exhibition in German at 17:00 on Thursday 11 December before the official opening for the public.
Press or research enquiries:
Juliane Gehler
Forum Wissen – University of Göttingen
Centre for Collection Development
Weender Landstraße 2
37073 Göttingen, Germany