Heinrich Böll – Die verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum (The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum, 1974). This novel tells the story of a woman’s life being destroyed by tabloid journalism and public suspicion. The narrative is structured as a quasi-investigative report, presenting evidence, testimonies, and different perspectives to reconstruct the truth behind the scandal. Böll’s novel is a critique of media sensationalism but also a literary experiment in objective reporting and evidence-based narrative, mirroring the German mediator’s analytical approach.
auf den Grund gehen
Den Dingen auf den Grund gehen. Translation: Get to the bottom of things. Meaning: Investigate thoroughly to understand the real reasons behind a conflict or problem.
present proof
Beweise auf den Tisch legen. Translation: Put the evidence on the table. Meaning: Present proof; don’t just make claims. This is a direct call for objective evidence in any discussion or dispute.
Rauch. Feuer.
Wo Rauch ist, ist auch Feuer. Translation: Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Meaning: If there are signs of a problem, there must be a cause. This phrase reflects the German tendency to look for underlying reasons and not dismiss evidence or symptoms.
Historikerstreit
The Historikerstreit (Historians’ Dispute) of the 1980s. This major public debate among German historians centered on how to interpret and assign responsibility for the Holocaust and National Socialism. Two main camps—intentionalists (who argued for planned intent behind Nazi crimes) and functionalists (who emphasized structural and circumstantial factors)—relied heavily on documentary evidence, archival research, and systematic analysis to reconstruct the causes of these events. The dispute exemplified Germany’s insistence on rigorous, evidence-based inquiry and the search for historical truth, even in highly politicized contexts.
“rubble film”
Die Mörder sind unter uns (The Murderers Are Among Us, 1946). This is one of the first German films made after WWII and a classic of the “rubble film” (Trümmerfilm) genre. Set in the ruins of Berlin, it follows a traumatized doctor who discovers that a former Nazi officer responsible for atrocities is living unpunished among the survivors. The film centers on the protagonist’s moral and psychological investigation into the past, piecing together evidence and memories to confront personal and collective guilt. It dramatizes the process of uncovering the truth about wartime crimes and seeking accountability, embodying the German approach of reconstructing causes and circumstances
Wannsee Documentation
The Wannsee Conference Documentation (1942). The discovery and use of the minutes from the Wannsee Conference, where senior Nazi officials coordinated the “Final Solution,” became a cornerstone in understanding the bureaucratic and systematic nature of the Holocaust. These documents provided incontrovertible evidence of planning and intent, shaping both legal reckoning and historical understanding in postwar Germany.
Vergangenheitsbewältigung
Postwar Trials and Vergangenheitsbewältigung (Coming to Terms with the Past). After World War II, Germany’s approach to dealing with Nazi crimes was grounded in the collection and presentation of objective evidence—such as documents, photographs, and testimonies—during the Nuremberg Trials and subsequent legal proceedings. This process set a precedent for addressing historical wrongdoing through meticulous reconstruction of facts and causes.
Roads not Taken
The Exhibition “Roads not Taken. Or: Things Could Have Turned Out Differently.” This exhibition at the Deutsches Historisches Museum explores key turning points in German history by reconstructing the causes and circumstances of major events, and also examining alternative outcomes that were possible but did not occur. The exhibit’s very premise reflects the German logic of analyzing contingencies, actions, and omissions to understand why history unfolded as it did.
The Broken Jug
Heinrich von Kleist – Der zerbrochne Krug (The Broken Jug, 1808). This classic play centers on a village court case in which a judge must determine who broke a jug belonging to a local woman. The entire plot revolves around the careful reconstruction of events, examination of evidence, and the search for truth through witness testimony and logical deduction. The play is a brilliant satire of the judicial process, but at its core, it exemplifies the German logic of conflict resolution: reconstructing causes, scrutinizing evidence, and striving for objective truth, even as human flaws complicate the process.