Susanne Beyer in Cologne: Lecture on the digitized Nazi card index
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Susanne Beyer opens an archive of memory in Cologne
This lecture delves into one of the most pressing questions of the present: How do family histories, journalistic research, and archival work become tools for historical enlightenment? Susanne Beyer, author of SPIEGEL's editorial board and co-creator of the journalistic processing of digitally accessible Nazi sources, speaks at the Historical Archive with the Rhineland Image Archive about the significance of the digitized NSDAP member card index for German memory culture. ([stadt-koeln.de](https://www.stadt-koeln.de/leben-in-koeln/veranstaltungen/daten/41033/index.html?utm_source=openai))
An evening of research, morality, and literary precision
The reading atmosphere of such an evening lives not from pathos, but from precision. At the center is the question of how documents become knowledge and how private inquiries sharpen social responsibility. Beyer's work combines journalistic methods with a language of historical sensitivity. Her current nonfiction book Kornblumenblau revolves around family secrets, trace-seeking, and the demand not to smooth over the past. ([shop.spiegel.de](https://shop.spiegel.de/kornblumenblau/a50146543?utm_source=openai))
The archive as a resonance space of the present
The venue enhances the impact of the evening in a special way. The Historical Archive with the Rhineland Image Archive at Eifelwall 5 in 50674 Cologne is designated as a place of transmission and research; the entrance, elevators, and restrooms are accessible for wheelchair users according to the city of Cologne, and there are also aids for the blind and visually impaired. Access is convenient via tram line 18 or bus line 142 to Eifelwall/Stadtarchiv. ([stadt-koeln.de](https://www.stadt-koeln.de/leben-in-koeln/veranstaltungen/daten/41033/index.html))
Why this lecture appeals to literature-interested visitors
Even though the evening is announced as a lecture, it possesses a pronounced literary quality: it combines narrative, research, source critique, and memory culture. This is precisely the strength of a contemporary cultural format that not only informs but also sparks thought movements. Those interested in literary nonfiction, biographies, historical narration, and the ethics of remembrance will find a concentrated event with social depth here. ([stadt-koeln.de](https://www.stadt-koeln.de/leben-in-koeln/veranstaltungen/daten/41033/index.html?utm_source=openai))
Conclusion: A free evening with high cognitive value
On September 16, 2026, Cologne offers a free event that goes far beyond a regular lecture: an evening about archives, family research, and the responsibility of storytelling. Those who want to experience historical processing live should not miss this date. Registration by email is required. ([stadt-koeln.de](https://www.stadt-koeln.de/leben-in-koeln/veranstaltungen/daten/41033/index.html))
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