ABSTRACT

The history of the Germans in Poland seemed to be over after the expulsion of Germans between 1944 and 1950. Yet the Germans were still very present. German architectural monuments remained in the Polish landscape and historical images lived on in the memories of people, as well as the personal contacts that survived the regime change. The Communist government was forced to deal with all these factors and to control and shape new German–Polish relations to conform to Communist views on memory. This contribution focuses on the experiences of travellers from East and West Germany to Poland after 1945. It concerns, on the one hand, the official parameters laid down for these encounters between Germans and Poles and, on the other hand, the often very different reality. These contacts often went far beyond those typical of tourists. As a result of having previously lived in the region or being connected to those who had, many visitors regarded their journey as a trip “back home”. Meanwhile, their hosts were obliged to present a positive image of the Socialist system in accordance with government demands. The chapter examines the tensions between these competing interests and the consequences of these exchanges.