Exhibition: IG Farben: From Aniline to Forced Labour.
Between coming to terms with the past and activism
The journey of a travelling exhibition on the history of IG Farben
In the early 1990s, chemistry students at various German universities caused a stir when they set out to examine the role of the chemical and pharmaceutical company IG Farben during the Nazi era and to publicly highlight the crimes against humanity it had committed. The students created a travelling exhibition which has now been rediscovered by the JCF (JungesChemieForum) and brought to Freiberg.
The exhibition at the Freiberg University Library on the history of IG Farben examines the company’s origins from the mid-19th century onwards, as well as its role before, during and after both world wars right up to the present day – whilst also revealing the origins of a travelling student exhibition from the 1990s and 2000s.
It demonstrates how chemistry students and student councils committed themselves to historical reappraisal despite resistance at universities. The focus is on the interconnections between the chemical industry, morality and politics, but also on the question of social responsibility among academics – then as now.
