Showing of “Anfang aus dem Ende: Die Flakhelfergeneration / Beginning out of an Ending” (2013) followed by discussion with the director, Aleida Assmann (Konstanz).
The “Flak”-generation is the shortest historical generation of the 20th century. It refers to the German cohorts of 1926-29 that were drafted from their school desks to help air defense (Flak) in the Second World War. This generation grew up in Hitler’s Third Reich and, after 1945, had the chance to start a new life. For a long time, they kept their memories locked up inside. Only now, after almost 70 years, many of them are confronting their past. What can we learn from these historical witnesses who might stand in as an emblem for Germany as a whole: “beginning out of an ending?” The documentary is based on fifteen video interviews including male and female voices. It differs from other films on this topic in its emphasis on the dynamics of remembering, acts of evaluation and personal reflections. It sketches a portrait of this generation as its members tell a common story from a variety of perspectives.