Into the Unknown. Graz 1945-1965

When World War II came to an end in Graz on 8 May 1945, much remained uncertain. The Nazi regime and the war had not only left behind a destroyed city, but also a social and political field of ruins. In addition to the destroyed buildings, the reconstruction also involved developing confidence in the future and new values. Which steps had to be taken in a post-war society in Graz that was first and foremost concerned with existential questions? People stayed and people came, they were waiting, acting and hoping amid ruins and possibilities.

The two decades from 1945 to 1965 showed this: Something new was in the making. Not all of a sudden and in a straight line, but gradually and with lasting effect. A democratic society was successfully created along with unprecedented prosperity. The exhibition follows these traces: It tells of the new beginning in Graz and gives a voice to people who lived and worked at that time. Their selected biographies lead back into times of uncertainty and chart their individual paths.
The exhibition invites visitors to muse about and listen to what was and what has become of it. And in the end, it doesn’t provide answers but encourages further asking.

Curators: Bernhard Bachinger, Annette Rainer
Project management: Franziska Schurig
Curatorial assistance: Stefanie Pöschl, Isabella Persoglio
Exhibition design and graphic design: Benedikt Haid, Martin Embacher