The book Memories in my Luggage
For several years the German author Sabine Nielsen had wanted to collate the stories of German migrants to Australia. Encouraged by friends and fellow Germans she eventually started. For two years Sabine talked to migrants who arrived in Australia from Germany in the years between 1933 and 1991. The result: Thirteen fascinating stories that highlight the migration experience and that just needed to be written down!
The book is available in English and German (Ein bisschen Heimat im Gepaeck), |
'“In Australia, the gold nuggets are just lying on the road, you only have to pick them up” they told us. Well actually, nothing is possible without hard work.' In German, we have a word, Heimat, which means much more than just “home” or “homeland”. You can relocate your home and find a new homeland, but Heimat is what you carry inside: your memories, your connections to a place and people, a feeling of belonging – your roots. |
The 2015 traveling exhibition
Based on the book Memories in my Luggage, by Sabine Nielsen, the exhibition Memories in my Luggage made the stories of German migration to Australia accessible to a wide audience by traveling around Melbourne and Victoria during the course of 2015.
Follow its journey... |
Thirteen portraitsRead a short summary profile of each of the German migrants featured in the book and exhibition Memories in my Luggage or read extracts from the book.
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Storybook: telling your own stories
So many of you have shared and continue to wish to share your own migration stories or that of your ancestors. It is quite fascinating and one always learns something new! We decided to share these stories via a special section of the website. Enjoy browsing!
