“Like everyone else?”

This program offers a unique educational framework exploring the daily lives of ordinary German citizens under the Nazi regime from 1933 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939.

In this activity, we will explore:

The multifaceted nature of this historical era through various perspectives, focusing specifically on the contemporary German citizen:

• What did they encounter on the street, in the cinema, and at the workplace?
• How did the regime appeal to them, and what was their relationship with ruling institutions?
• What dangers were they exposed to, and how did they choose to cope with them?
• Did they attempt to resist, or did they prefer to cooperate and benefit from the new reality?

We invite participants on a journey tracing the rise of the Nazi Party—a journey that raises profound moral and educational questions concerning individuals and society across all times and places.

Activity Goals

1. Gaining a deep understanding of the core characteristics of daily life for ordinary Germans under the Nazi regime.
2. Analyzing the mechanisms through which a totalitarian reality reshapes the individual’s inner world, and examining the possibilities of civil resistance under such conditions.
3. Identifying the human psychology behind herd behavior, while reflecting on and defining the personal “red lines” we must set for ourselves when being part of a crowd.

Activity Description

The activity is designed for groups of up to 25 students. Each group will rotate through distinct interactive spaces, each dedicated to a different aspect of life under the Nazi regime: The Street, The Promises of the Regime, Informing & Terror, Exclusion & Oppression, and The Führer & Youth Education. In each space, students will engage with the reality of the era through historical photographs, press clippings, posters, films, and audio recordings. Immersive guidance within the spaces, combined with opening and concluding processing workshops, will provide the broader context and allow the group to collectively process the concepts discovered throughout the day.