When does the event take place?

The event takes place on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 4 PM.

Where can the exhibitions be seen?

The exhibitions are located in the ground floor reading room of the City Archive Erlangen, Luitpoldstraße 47, 91054 Erlangen. The entrance is at Bernhard-Plettner-Ring.

What is the admission fee?

Admission to the two exhibitions is free.

How long are the exhibitions open?

The exhibitions can be seen until January 28, 2027. The regular opening hours are Mondays from 9 AM to 6 PM, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM to 4 PM, and Wednesdays from 8 AM to 12 PM. Different times may apply on public holidays.

What topics are focused on?

The focus is on the end of the war in Erlangen, post-war everyday life, the reorganization of public life, and the first free municipal election on May 26, 1946.

Are group visits possible?

Group visits are possible by prior arrangement.

Erlangen 1945/46: How a City Rediscovered Democracy After the War

Name: "Yesterday Must Give Way to Today. Erlangen 1945/46" and "Erlangen between End and Beginning"
Start: 2026-10-22T16:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-22T18:00:00+02:00
Location: Stadtarchiv Erlangen - EG Lesesaal

Erlangen between the End of War, New Beginnings, and Democratic Awakening

The City Archive of Erlangen is dedicated to the decisive years of 1945 and 1946 with two exhibitions. The focus is on the end of World War II, the difficult societal new beginning, and the first free municipal election after 13 years of dictatorship.

A City between Destruction and New Beginnings

On April 16, 1945, the war in Erlangen ended with the bloodless surrender of the city. While buildings and infrastructure largely remained intact, a profound political and social upheaval began for the population. The exhibitions show how the American military government, the city administration, and the people of Erlangen dealt with the consequences of the Nazi regime.

Everyday Life, School, and Coexistence in 1945

The presentation "Yesterday Must Give Way to Today. Erlangen 1945/46" was developed by students of the Albert-Schweitzer-Gymnasium Erlangen in collaboration with the City Archive. Posters and historical materials illuminate the resumption of school operations, housing conditions, the first Bergkirchweih after the war, and the cooperation with the American military government.

The Municipal Election of May 26, 1946

The exhibition "Erlangen between End and Beginning. The Municipal Election in Erlangen on May 26, 1946" focuses on the first democratic local election after 13 years. Incoming and outgoing relocations, demographic changes, denazification measures, and the provision for a growing population shaped the framework conditions. The election thus appears as a magnifying glass for the prerequisites of democratic self-determination at the local level.

Historical Sources as Immediate Testimonies

Archives, posters, and documentary materials vividly illustrate the post-war period. The focus is not on classical painting or sculpture, but on the aesthetic and historical impact of written images, photographs, and original documents. In the concentrated exhibition atmosphere, an intense artistic experience of a special kind emerges: History becomes visible and understandable through concrete traces.

Cultural Education and Local Memory

The cabinet exhibitions provide access to the history of Erlangen and connect historical research with cultural education. Until 2029, the City Archive plans to annually present an exhibition on central milestones of Erlangen's post-war period leading up to the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1949.

Conclusion: Experience History Locally

Visitors can expect an expert, compact, and at the same time intense presentation about the end of the war, democratic new beginnings, and life in Erlangen 1945/46. Those who want to understand how democracy emerges in everyday life and what challenges a society must overcome after a dictatorship will find a valuable historical architectural review in the City Archive. A visit to the exhibition enriches both the aesthetic experience and the understanding of the city's political history.