Technische Universität Braunschweig
  • Studium & Lehre
    • Vor dem Studium
      • Informationen für Studieninteressierte
      • Studiengänge von A-Z
      • Bewerbung
      • Fit4TU - Self-Assessment
      • Beratungsangebote für Studieninteressierte
      • Warum Braunschweig?
    • Im Studium
      • Erstsemester-Hub
      • Semestertermine
      • Lehrveranstaltungen
      • Studien-ABC
      • Studienorganisation
      • Beratungsnavi
      • Zusatzqualifikationen
      • Finanzierung und Kosten
      • Besondere Studienbedingungen
      • Gesundheit & Wohlbefinden
      • Campusleben
    • Nach dem Studium
      • Exmatrikulation und Vorlegalisation
      • Nach dem Abschluss
      • Alumni*ae
    • Strategien und Qualitätsmanagement
      • Qualitätsmanagement
      • Systemakkreditierung
      • Studienqualitätsmittel
      • TU Lehrpreis
    • Für Lehrende
      • Informationen für Lehrende
      • Konzepte
      • Lernmanagementsystem Stud.IP
    • Kontakt
      • Studienservice-Center
      • Sag's uns - in Studium und Lehre
      • Zentrale Studienberatung
      • Immatrikulationsamt
      • Abteilung 16 - Studium und Lehre
      • Career Service
      • Projekthaus
  • Forschung
    • Forschungsprofil
      • Forschungsschwerpunkte
      • Exzellenzcluster der TU Braunschweig
      • Forschungsprojekte
      • Forschungszentren
      • Forschungsprofile der Professuren
    • Frühe Karrierephase
      • Förderung in den frühen Phasen der wissenschaftlichen Karriere
      • Promotion
      • Postdocs
      • Nachwuchsgruppenleitung
      • Junior Professur und Tenure-Track
      • Habilitation
      • Service-Angebote für Wissenschaftler*innen
    • Forschungsdaten & Transparenz
      • Transparenz in der Forschung
      • Forschungsdaten
      • Open Access Strategie
      • Digitale Forschungsanzeige
    • Forschungsförderung
      • Netzwerk Forschungsförderung
      • Datenbanken und Stiftungen
    • Kontakt
      • Forschungsservice
      • Graduiertenakademie
  • International
    • Internationale Studierende
      • Warum Braunschweig?
      • Studium mit Abschluss
      • Austauschstudium
      • TU Braunschweig Summer School
      • Geflüchtete
      • International Student Support
      • International Career Service
    • Wege ins Ausland
      • Studium im Ausland
      • Praktikum im Ausland
      • Lehren und Forschen im Ausland
      • Arbeiten im Ausland
    • Internationale Forschende
      • Welcome Support for International Researchers
      • Service für gastgebende Einrichtungen
    • Sprachen und interkulturelle Kompetenzvermittlung
      • Deutsch lernen
      • Fremdsprachen lernen
      • Interkulturelle Kompetenzvermittlung
    • Internationales Profil
      • Internationalisierung
      • Internationale Kooperationen
      • Strategische Partnerschaften
      • Internationale Netzwerke
    • International House
      • Wir über uns
      • Kontakt & Sprechstunden
      • Aktuelles und Termine
      • International Days
      • 5. Studentische Konferenz: Internationalisierung der Hochschulen
      • Newsletter, Podcast & Videos
      • Stellenausschreibungen
  • Die TU Braunschweig
    • Unser Profil
      • Ziele & Werte
      • Ordnungen und Leitlinien
      • Allianzen & Partner
      • Hochschulentwicklung 2030
      • Ecoversity – die TU Braunschweig als Ökosystem Universität
      • Internationale Strategie
      • Fakten & Zahlen
      • Unsere Geschichte
    • Karriere
      • Arbeiten an der TU
      • Stellenmarkt
      • Berufsausbildung an der TU
    • Wirtschaft & Unternehmen
      • Unternehmensgründung
      • Freunde & Förderer
    • Öffentlichkeit
      • Veranstaltungskalender
      • Check-in für Schüler*innen
      • Hochschulinformationstag (HIT)
      • CampusXperience
      • Das Studierendenhaus
      • Gasthörer*innen & Senior*innenstudium
      • Nutzung der Universitätsbibliothek
    • Presse & Kommunikation
      • Stabsstelle Presse und Kommunikation
      • Medienservice
      • Ansprechpartner*innen
      • Tipps für Wissenschaftler*innen
      • Themen und Stories
    • Kontakt
      • Allgemeiner Kontakt
      • Anreise
      • Für Hinweisgeber
  • Struktur
    • Leitung & Verwaltung
      • Das Präsidium
      • Stabsstellen
      • Verwaltung
      • Organe, Statusgruppen und Kommissionen
    • Fakultäten
      • Carl-Friedrich-Gauß-Fakultät
      • Fakultät für Lebenswissenschaften
      • Fakultät Architektur, Bauingenieurwesen und Umweltwissenschaften
      • Fakultät für Maschinenbau
      • Fakultät für Elektrotechnik, Informationstechnik, Physik
      • Fakultät für Geistes- und Erziehungswissenschaften
    • Institute
      • Institute von A-Z
    • Einrichtungen
      • Universitätsbibliothek
      • Gauß-IT-Zentrum
      • Zentrale Personalentwicklung
      • International House
      • Projekthaus
      • Transferservice
      • Hochschulsportzentrum
      • Einrichtungen von A-Z
    • Studierendenschaft
      • Studierendenparlament
      • Fachschaften
      • Studentische Wahlen
    • Lehrer*innenbildung
      • Lehrer*innenfortbildung
      • Forschung
    • Chancengleichheit
      • Gleichstellung
      • Familie
      • Diversität
    • Kontakt
      • Personensuche
  • Suche
  • Schnellzugriff
    • Personensuche
    • Webmail
    • cloud.TU Braunschweig
    • Messenger
    • Mensa
    • TUconnect (Studierendenportal)
    • Lehrveranstaltungen
    • Im Notfall
    • Stud.IP
    • UB Katalog
    • Status GITZ-Dienste
    • Störungsmeldung GB3
    • IT Dienste
    • Informationsportal (Beschäftigte)
    • Beratungsnavi
    • Linksammlung
    • DE
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • LinkedIn
    • Mastodon
    • Bluesky
Menü
  • Struktur
  • Fakultäten
  • Fakultät für Geistes- und Erziehungswissenschaften
  • Institute
  • Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik
  • Lehr- und Fachgebiete
  • Didaktik
  • Forschung
Logo des Instituts für Anglistik und Amerikanistik der TU Braunschweig
Picturing the Unimaginable
  • Forschung
    • Projekte
    • DrawnTogether Project
    • Picturing the Unimaginable
    • Abschlussarbeiten
    • Promotionen

Picturing the Unimaginable

Possible Header

Introduction

The following project page provides information on a course and a virtual-exhibition-project, which are based on the graphic novel and its traveling exhibition, Picturing the Unimaginable. 

The Book

Background

The following information about the graphic novel "Picturing the Unimaginable" was published by the NIOD website on 10 July 2024. 

"Ten talented cartoonists from different backgrounds and ages from the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium created a story from their own perspective in the context of three former Nazi concentration camps in these countries: Gedenkstätte Neuengamme in Germany, the Dossin Barracks in Belgium and Westerbork Memorial. Their work is now being exhibited and simultaneously published in the graphic novel Picturing the Unimaginable in four languages (German, English, French and Dutch).

Eighty-year-old comic book

The project got underway when Bas Kortholt, a researcher at Remembrance Centre Camp Westerbork, cartoonist Erik de Graaf and NIOD researcher Kees Ribbens were inspired by a comic strip Ribbens discovered some time ago in the United States. In an attempt to make somewhat imaginable what was going on in the heart of Europe, August M. Froehlich depicted what happened after the arrival of a deportation train as early as 1944. His comic was published in early 1945 while most of the German death camps were still in full operation.

‘Picturing the Unimaginable’

After the discovery of the American comic strip, the idea arose to explore how contemporary cartoonists would depict the Holocaust and other Nazi crimes today. The result is ten comic strips, which form the heart of the project. In the exhibition, which after Westerbork travels on to Kazerne Dossin in Belgium and then to Gedenkstätte Neuengamme in Germany, the cartoon drawings are contextualised by historical artefacts, special audio-visual excerpts from both experts and eyewitnesses of the horrors, information about the creative process and the motivation of the cartoonists.

As this is an international collaboration, the graphic novel will be published in four languages by publisher Scratch Books. The exhibition will be on display at Westerbork Memorial until 1 September. More information about the opening on Friday, 19 July can be found on the website of Westerbork Memorial." 

The Course

Background

Inspired by the graphic novel Picturing the Unimaginable, Dr. Tatia Gruenbaum met with Bas Kortholt (Camp Westerbork) in August 2024. Bas was coordinating the graphic novel and its travelling exhibition and was interested in a university course pilot project.

Supported by Prof. Dr Carmen Becker, Tatia, together with Jan Rauhut and Merle Bierman, developed a hybrid (elective) course with an online-only option for students residing abroad. The course was designed for a mixed-discipline cohort and focused on exploring the contribution visual children’s Holocaust literature (picturebooks and graphic novels) could make to supporting GCED and promoting the UNCRC. It also included a collaborative element with (ITESS) student teachers at NHS Stenden (NL) and their teacher educator, Heike Tattje, during the final graphic-novel-based workshop days.

The course was well attended and received. And so, it will continue to run in 25/26, thus contributing to the need for the virtual exhibition project. (Read more below)

Course Guide

Sample course guide

Cover of the Sample Course Guide for PTU

Find a sample course guide below 

Sample course guide

On Campus Promotion

To promote the course 'Picturing the Unimaginable, posters were put up across the TU Braunschweig Campus Nord. The promotional efforts were successful. 

Poster P
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Promo Poster PtU
Flyer PtU
Contributors


Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik der Technischen Universität Braunschweig

  • Dr. Tatia Gruenbaum | tatia.gruenbaum(at)tu-braunschweig.de
  • Prof. Dr. Carmen Becker | c.becker(at)tu-braunschweig.de
  • Merle Biermann | merle.biermann(at)tu-braunschweig.de
  • Jan Rauhut | j.rauhut(at)tu-braunschweig.de 
  • Le Thuc Anh Mai | l.mai(at)tu-braunschweig.de
     

Camp Westerbork Memorial Centre

  • Bas Kortholt | bas(at)kampwesterbork.nl
     

The NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies 

  • Prof. Dr. Kees Ribbens | k.ribbens(at)niod.knaw.nl

The Travelling Exhibition & its Virtual Edition

Background

From April to July 2025, the travelling exhibition of the graphic novel Picturing the Unimaginable was displayed at TU Braunschweig. This exhibition was on loan from Camp Westerbork to support a newly designed hybrid course, designed and taught by Dr. Tatia Gruenbaum for the Institute for English and American Studies. As the course received positive feedback and would thus be offered again, the question arose how access to the travelling exhibition for future course participants could be ensured. 

The idea of creating a virtual edition was proposed. And so, before the travelling exhibition was packed up and moved to Ladelund Concentration Camp & Memorial (Germany) in July 2025, Le Thuc Anh Mai and Jan Rauhut began digitalising the displays and the exhibition itself. 

If you want to access the exhibition, click here: 

PICTURING THE UNIMAGINABLE - The Virtual Exhibition Project

Enter the Website
Virtual Exhibition Project

When we, Jan and I (Thuci), were presented with the idea of creating a virtual edition of the Picturing the Unimaginable travelling exhibition, we were both enthusiastic. We are both MA students in Education, attached to the Institute for English and American Studies (TU Braunschweig). Jan is majoring in History and worked closely together with Dr. Gruenbaum to develop the PtU course, while my major is in Art Education and Fine Arts.

To begin this project, we collected materials by photographing and filming the displays and reviewing the audio files. After experimenting with different ways to combine visuals and text, we finally decided to use a ‘Google Street View’ approach to enter the exhibition. This approach seemed to offer an accessible visitor experience and came closest to the atmosphere of the original physical exhibition.

It was important for us to be respectful towards the exhibition, the content, its artists, and their work. The greatest challenge for us was to conceptualise the exhibition in a way that would reflect this aim. 

For those who wish to explore further, please 'Enter the Exhibition'.

Enter
Activity Guide
Lesson Plan

This activity guide was developed by Jan Rauhut to support visitors of the exhibition Picturing the Unimaginable. 
It offers questions on perception, content, and personal
engagement and suggests ways to explore and interpret the
individual stories within the exhibition.

English version     German version 

 

On the Move & Behind the Scenes

Here are two videos.
The first one showcases the setting up of the exhibition at TU Braunschweig Campus Nord.
The second one offers more insights from Bas Kortholt, historian and researcher at Camp Westerbork Memorial Centre.

 

On the Move
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Insights from Bas
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Gallery
15
14
7
9
13
1
16
18
25
19
20
23
22
26
8
31
5
11
10
17
Bildnachweise dieser Seite

Für alle

Stellenmarkt der TU Braunschweig
Jobbörse des Career Service
Merchandising
Sponsoring- & Spendenleistungen
Vertrauenspersonen für Hinweisgeber

Für Studierende

Semestertermine
Lehrveranstaltungen
Studiengänge von A-Z
Informationen für Erstsemester
TUCard

Interne Tools

Status GITZ-Dienste
Handbuch für TYPO3 (Intern)
Corporate Design-Toolbox (Intern)
Glossar (DE-EN)
Meine Daten ändern
Hochschulöffentliche Bekanntmachungen

Kontakt

Technische Universität Braunschweig
Universitätsplatz 2
38106 Braunschweig
Postfach: 38092 Braunschweig
Telefon: +49 (0) 531 391-0

Anreise

© Technische Universität Braunschweig
Impressum Datenschutz Barrierefreiheit

Zur anonymisierten Reichweitenmessung nutzt die TU Braunschweig die Software Matomo. Die Daten dienen dazu, das Webangebot zu optimieren.
Weitere Informationen finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.