When does the exhibition tour take place?

The tour takes place on October 28, 2026, from 16:30 to 17:30.

Where does the tour take place?

The venue is the Historical Archive with Rhenish Picture Archive at Eifelwall 5, 50674 Cologne.

What is the cost of participation?

Participation in the exhibition tour is free of charge.

Is registration required?

Yes, the City of Cologne requests registration by email at AnmeldungArchiv@stadt-koeln.de or by phone at 0221 / 221-24455.

Is the venue accessible for people with disabilities?

The entrance area, elevators, and restrooms are accessible for wheelchair users. Additionally, there are aids for blind and visually impaired individuals.

How can the Historical Archive be reached by public transport?

The stop Eifelwall/Stadtarchiv is reachable by tram line 18 and bus line 142.

Experience Cologne 1946/47: A Tour Between Ruins, Memory, and Renewal

Name: Exhibition Tour: Life of Hunger – Hunger for Life. Cologne 1946/47
Start: 2026-10-28T16:30:00+01:00
End: 2026-10-28T17:30:00+01:00
Location: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv

Discovering Cologne between the Life of Hunger and Hunger for Life

The exhibition tour through Life of Hunger – Hunger for Life. Cologne 1946/47 invites you on October 28, 2026, to closely observe the immediate post-war period. At the Historical Archive with the Rhenish Picture Archive, it becomes visible how war, destruction, housing scarcity, and supply shortages shaped the daily lives of Cologne's population while hope for a new beginning also grew.

A City in the Shadow of Ruins

The tour leads through Cologne in the years 1946 and 1947: a city between ruins, emergency shelters, and the arduous reconstruction. Topics include the removal of rubble, life in damaged houses, and the social challenges of a society whose everyday existence was dominated by scarcity and uncertainty.

Everyday Life, Memory, and Social Renewal

Different perspectives on the post-war years are at the center. Women, children, and adolescents, returnees, and displaced persons experienced this time in their own ways. The exhibition connects historical sources with a narrative, audiovisual presentation, making cultural education directly tangible.

Käthe as a Narrative Companion

The fictional character Käthe guides through typical everyday situations of the years 1946 and 1947. Her story is based on contemporary testimonies and condenses individual experiences into a vivid picture of the era. The audiovisual design creates an intense exhibition atmosphere and opens up space for historical reflection, empathy, and aesthetic experience.

Insight Behind the Curation

The curators explain the criteria by which sources were selected and individual life stories were linked to Käthe's narrative. This not only deepens the historical perspective but also makes the work behind the exhibition visible: from research to the selection of objects to museum mediation.

Conclusion: Experience History Directly

This tour combines city history, memory culture, and innovative exhibition design. Visitors gain an impactful insight into Cologne's post-war years and experience how hunger, destruction, and loss slowly transformed into a hunger for life and new beginnings. The free tour is particularly suitable for those who want to experience history not just by reading but immediately in the space, through images and narratives.