Biographical Work

French and German school classes are invited to research and explore the biographies of individuals who suffered under Nazi injustice—both well-known and lesser-known life stories from their immediate or wider surroundings.

The focus centres on Alsatian and Baden resistance fighters, Sinti and Roma, Jewish individuals, forced labourers, prisoners of war, people in psychiatric institutions, and Alsatians who were forcibly conscripted into the Wehrmacht.

Two distinct biographical projects provide young people with creative ways to engage with the Franco-German history on both sides of the Rhine. Workshops are led by teacher and comic book author Sandra Butsch, who uses the Storyboard-Telling method, and by artist Francine Mayran, who applies her Memory Suitcase approach.

Project Outline

After an initial phase of independent work on the selected biography, a four-hour workshop on “Storyboard-Telling” or the “Memory Suitcase” method will be conducted at the school. The resulting storyboards and suitcases will be exhibited at Art’Rhena. All participating classes will attend the exhibition and present their works to one another.

Development of the biographies and workshops in schools: October 2024 – February 2025

Presentation of results and action day: 2 April 2025 at Art’Rhena

Publication of results in a brochure: Autumn 2025

Teacher training sessions will also be offered, focusing on biographical work in general and on the use of graphic novels and comics to address the Shoah. For inquiries, please contact Sandra Butsch at: butsch@blaueshausbreisach.de.

Storyboard-Telling

Sandra Butsch, teacher and comic book author, has developed a concept that intertwines the past and present to help shape a better future.

Biographical work that is engaging, enjoyable, and forward-looking—this approach makes it possible.
Traditional biographical work involves individuals delving into their memories and recounting lived experiences through conversations, exercises, and personal artefacts such as photographs, autograph books, and other sources. But what happens when personal encounters are no longer possible? How can history remain vivid and relevant? Where do young people see themselves in these stories, and what lessons can they carry forward into their own lives?
The “Storyboard-Telling” method provides a tailored and creative way to address these questions. By integrating contemporary objects, contexts, and questions into the stories, young people can forge connections between the past and the present. This approach ensures both emotional and intellectual engagement, empowering students to actively process history and extend their exploration of individual narratives through their own creative expression.
The research and storyboards created in classrooms on both sides of the Rhine will culminate in a German-French exhibition designed to cross national borders. A central focus of the exhibition will be the differing narratives from the German and French perspectives during the period from 1870/71 to 1945.

Memory Suitcase

The “Memory Suitcase” approach, developed by artist Francine Mayran, offers a creative interpretation of biographical work.

This project combines art, history, literature, and culture, opening up innovative ways of exploring personal biographies as well as historical narratives. It is a project that actively stands against racism, antisemitism, and all forms of discrimination. Symbolising flight, displacement, or migration, the suitcase serves as a medium for reflecting on the tragedies of National Socialism and the biographies shaped by it on both sides of the Rhine.
By connecting with their own family histories—regardless of location or context—students from diverse backgrounds and school types can participate.

The project integrates reflection and education, combining historical memory, testimonies, archival sources, and research with artistic expression inspired by Francine Mayran’s work. Through this creative process, students craft “Memory Suitcases” that serve as a fusion of research, artistic representation, and reflection.

Critically engaging with the past and their own family histories helps students develop a deeper awareness of respect, tolerance, and the intrinsic value of every human life.