May 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. On this occasion, Basel Historical Museum is to stage a special exhibition about Basel during the era of National Socialism.

The Nazi regime in Germany and the Second World War had a significant impact on life in Basel and the whole border region between 1933 and 1945. The exhibition will inquire into cross-border relationships and ask where the people of Basel, the Swiss authorities and local businesses and institutions stood in relation to National Socialism and the Nazi state.

Refugees and refugee policies, the political climate, economic ties, the challenges faced by Basel’s Jewish population, the campaign to defend Switzerland’s cultural identity and everyday life during the war will be among the themes presented. The show will recount the fortunes of individuals as well as exploring borderline cases of all kinds, whether geographical, personal, legal or moral, providing plenty of food for thought on how we handle the past.