How can the history of the Danube Swabian population be told from different perspectives? This question is explored in a new two-part episode of the podcast Geschichte nach der Schule (History after School), hosted by Dieter Grupp and Dennis Fuhrich.
Dieter Grupp came up with the idea of bringing together the perspective of remembrance and commemoration within the Danube Swabian community organisations and an academic perspective. To this end, he invited Jürgen Harich, representing the Danube Swabian Association, and our colleague PD Dr Daniela Simon, a historian, to take part in a joint discussion. The aim was to explore different approaches to Danube Swabian history and bring them into dialogue.
The first episode, entitled “Donauschwaben (1): Die Zeit in Südosteuropa – von der Ansiedlung bis zur Vertreibung” (Danube Swabians (1): The Period in Southeastern Europe – From Settlement to Expulsion), traces the history of the Danube Swabian population from their settlement in Southeastern Europe to the flight and expulsion associated with the Second World War. Among other topics, the discussion addresses coexistence among different population groups and the political and social transformations that shaped people's lives in the region.
The second episode will be released on 11 November 2026 and focuses on the period after 1945. It explores the experiences of Danube Swabians in the Federal Republic of Germany, their integration into West German society, and the challenges they faced in building new lives.
Together, the two episodes offer an opportunity to reflect on the relationship between academic historiography and collective memory.