In this talk, Ms Helga (Girschik) Griffin and myself will talk about the life story of German civilians who moved to Persia (Iran) during 1930s for the development of country, then captured by the British army on Iranian soil during the Second World War, and then sent to Australian war camps as war internees. 

By using interdisciplinary research methods, we want to begin an academic discussion on the childhood memories of these internees. This will include the use of family photographs in prompting and reconstructing the traumas and challenges they faced by enforced displacement and separation, and in their resettlement in Australia.  

This talk rests on the collaboration between a socio-cultural, visual anthropologist and a former Second World War internee who is an author and has trained in history. During the last year we have worked on the interaction between family photographs, material culture of Iran, childhood memories, the war camps internment experiences and post-war settlement.

We aim to bring the collaborative result of our work to our audiences, demonstrating also how the development of friendship between anthropologists and their protagonists can lead to mutually humane interaction, catharsis and healing. 

Zoom Link

https://anu.zoom.us/j/93792104939?pwd=U25OUWlmamFGTkxjSnF6aE9EK3JNQT09

Meeting ID: 937 9210 4939 

Passcode: 800615