„Der Tod versöhnt?“ – Kriegsgräber zwischen Erinnerung und Mahnung

/ Hauptfriedhof Mannheim / Guided Tour + Talk / german / 14+ yrs / 

What do war graves tell us today? Embark on a search for traces of the tension between remembrance and commemoration, the right to individual remembrance and a uniform design, as well as the question of whether “Death reconciles”, as it is written in large letters on the memorial, is really true. A moving examination of the past, present and responsibility for the future.

The Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V. searches for and buries war dead abroad on behalf of the German government and cares for their graves. To this day, it clarifies fates and contributes to peace and understanding through educational work, youth projects and international encounters. In Mannheim, the volunteer team is involved in social and cultural activities and organizes voluntary work with young people on the war cemetery grounds, true to the motto “Working for peace”.

Julian Keil has been a volunteer for the German War Graves Commission for many years. He has also been the honorary managing director of the Mannheim district association since 2023. Influenced by numerous voluntary work assignments abroad, it was particularly important to him to bring the motto “Work for peace” to life locally - especially through offers for young people in Mannheim.
Since 2024, he has devoted himself intensively to researching the war graves at Mannheim's main cemetery. Working as a controller in his main job, he sees this commitment as a conscious counter-program to everyday office life - and as an important contribution to the culture of remembrance.

Photo: Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V., Kreisverband Mannheim