Northern Bohemia exhibition explores post-1945 expulsion and resettlement

The regional branch of Paměť národa Severní Čechy is launching an outdoor exhibition titled ‘Vysídlení a dosídlení’ (Expulsion and Resettlement) to examine the transformation of Northern Bohemia after 1945. The exhibition, which will be held in Děčín from August 19 to September 9, 2026, focuses on the organized expulsion of the German-speaking population and the subsequent resettlement of border regions by new inhabitants.

The project explores the social, demographic, and economic impacts of this mass migration 80 years later. Through personal testimonies, the exhibition highlights how these political decisions became deeply personal experiences. One featured account is that of Waltraud Benová, who grew up in a German family in Jiřetín pod Jedlovou; she recalls the social stigma faced by German-speaking children in the post-war period.

Organized by the non-profit Post Bellum, the initiative aims to document and make accessible 20th-century stories to provide a broader understanding of modern history.