"Contemporary Witnesses 1945 – Years of Rubble in AR" is the app follow-up to "WDR AR 1933 – 1945." 80 years after the end of the Second World War, contemporary witnesses share their impressive memories. They speak of existential challenges after the war: of hunger and cold, of working as a rubble woman, of trauma and guilt.
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WHAT'S IT ABOUT?
Helga Cent-Velden is 18 when she has to clear ammunition and rubble in Berlin. In the chapter "Rubble Woman in Berlin," she is virtually embedded in a 360° landscape of rubble.
Marianne Blasberg recounts the terrible "cold winter of 46/47." Even the Rhine is frozen over, and the tablet screens freeze.
Alfred Grünewald, Anne Priller-Rauschenberg, and Ruth Barra can be reached in the chapter "Hunger" through a portal that leads to an interactive room with their memories.
In the chapter "War and Trauma," Erich Waaser tells the story of his father, who was persecuted by the Nazis. Marianne Blasberg's father also returned traumatized from the war.
THE APP IN SCHOOL CLASSROOMS
Teachers will find teaching materials for social studies subjects in the app menu. The app is suitable for inclusive learning groups. The core target group is students in grades 9-10 of all secondary schools.
IT'S EASY TO USE
Point the camera of your tablet or smartphone at a clear area of ​​the floor from a distance of 2 meters, moving the camera to scan the floor. A red circle will appear. When the circle is filled, the contemporary witnesses are automatically placed virtually in the room. While they talk, you can look around the room and experience what's happening with your tablet or smartphone.
Features
- The WDR app "Zeitzeugen 1945" is available offline. It can be downloaded and used regardless of network quality.
- It is easy to use and inclusive.
- Contemporary witnesses and their biographies are an important part of the app.
- There is an information guide that supplements personal memories with facts and places them in historical context.
- The app is free.
WHAT DOES AUGMENTED REALITY MEAN?
Augmented reality translates as "extended reality," abbreviated to AR. This technology allows contemporary witnesses to be virtually placed in real spaces, as well as three-dimensional animations. Augmented reality is a blend of the real world and virtual elements.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
The app requires a total data volume of 2 GB. Please use Wi-Fi when downloading.