WDR app: Visualizing the consequences of war in augmented reality
WDR presents a new app at Didacta 2025. Contemporary witnesses use augmented reality to report on life in Germany after the end of the war in 1945.
(Image: ©WDR/Sami Skalli)
At this year's Didacta, Westdeutscher Rundfunk is presenting its new augmented reality offering "Zeitzeugen 1945 - Trümmerjahre in AR". The app uses images from the post-war period and interviews with contemporary witnesses to explain the consequences of National Socialism and the Second World War. The app is scheduled for release on May 8, 2025 – the anniversary of the end of the war 80 years ago. The presentation of the offer at Didacta fits in with this year's main theme of the trade fair: "Democracy needs education – Education needs democracy!"
Freely available digital educational offer
The eyewitness app is intended as an educational offer for schools, but is aimed at all interested parties. It is a continuation of the work of WDR, which already published the "WDR AR 1933 -1945" app in 2019 (which is unfortunately no longer compatible with newer Android versions) and also maintains an app for stumbling blocks in NRW.
WDR-Apps fĂĽr die Erinnerungskultur (9 Bilder)
App: "WDR AR 1933 -1945"
)The new app has been developed in cooperation with the media department "Mixed Reality and Visualization" at Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences and a comprehensive school in Cologne. So far, it will contain six stories from contemporary witnesses. In addition, for example, it will be possible to jump into a 360° environment of the rubble landscape of 1945.
Videos by heise
WDR Director General Dr. Katrin Vernau is particularly proud that the app was developed with the help of schoolchildren. It creates "another important contribution to the culture of remembrance."
Dates at the Didacta
This year's Didacta will take place in Stuttgart from February 11 to 15. The fair's ambassador is Marina Weisband, former politician for the Pirate Party, who has been bringing the democracy project "aula" to German schools for several years now.
WDR will present the app"Zeitzeugen 1945 - TrĂĽmmer in AR" at two workshops at Didacta. On February 13, 2025 from 13:15 to 14:00 and on February 14, 2025 from 13:00 to 13:45 at booth 5C50.
The app will initially be released in the Apple App Store on May 8 and shortly afterwards in the Google Play Store.
(kbe)
