Zeitzeugen 1945

This new augmented reality app brings history to life in the classroom.

"Zeitzeugen 1945 – The years of rubble in AR" is the follow-up project to the interactive app "WDR AR 1933-1945". Contemporary witnesses talk about their extreme hardships after the end of the Second World War: hunger and cold, trauma and guilt, or working as a "rubble woman".
We’d love to get your feedback at ar@wdr.de - and please leave a rating!

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
Helga Cent-Velden was 18 when she had to clear ammunition and debris in Berlin. In the chapter "Rubble woman in Berlin", she is virtually embedded in a 360° landscape of ruins.
Marianne Blasberg recalls the terrible winter of 1946/47 when it was so cold that the Rhine river froze over. In the scene, even the tablet screen seems to freeze.
Alfred Grünewald, Anne Priller-Rauschenberg, and Ruth Barra appear in the chapter "Hunger and survival", which users reach by walking through a portal that leads to an interactive room filled with their memories.
In the chapter "War and trauma", Erich Waaser tells the story of his father, who was deported by the Nazis. Marianne Blasberg’s father, a musician, also returned from the war traumatized.

THE APP IN SCHOOL LESSONS
In the app, teachers will find a package of teaching materials and worksheets for social studies (in German). The app can be adapted to different learning levels in a differentiated way. The core target group is secondary students in the 9th and 10th grades.

IT’S EASY TO USE!
Pan the camera of your tablet or smartphone across the floor to scan it. Then aim at an empty space on the floor at least 2.5 meters away from you. A red circle appears. Once the circle is completely filled, the contemporary witnesses are automatically positioned. As they tell their stories, you can look around the room and experience the stories.

FEATURES
• The WDR app "Zeitzeugen 1945" can be used offline. Once it has been downloaded, it can be used independently of network quality.
• It is easy to use and suitable for diverse learning groups.
• Contemporary witnesses and their biographies are an important part of the app.
• There is an info guide who adds facts to personal memories and puts them in their historical context.
• The WDR app "Zeitzeugen 1945 – The years of rubble in AR" is free.
WHAT DOES AUGMENTED REALITY MEAN?
Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that allows contemporary witnesses to be virtually positioned in real spaces, as can three-dimensional animations. Augmented reality mixes the real world and virtual elements.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
The app has a total data volume of 2 GB. Please use Wi-Fi to download it.

SUPPORTED ON THE FOLLOWING DEVICES
Samsung Galaxy S105G, S25Ultra
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7, Tab 8
Google Pixel 4,7,9