Info brochure Remembrance Connects Oder-Warta

The common historical cultural space is defined by the history and cultural heritage of the Oder-Warta region from the time before 1933. It is significant here that the region was almost never separated by na- tional borders (e.g. Kurmark, Neu- mark, Lebuser Land, Brandenburg) since its settlement until 1945. Today, numerous places of remem- brance represent the common his- torical and cultural heritage on both sides of the border. They primarily provide insights into the everyday life and culture of the rural area or commemorate significant develop- ments and personalities. These include knightly orders such as the Templars or the Knights of St John, who founded villages on both sides of the Oder, built castles, palaces and churches, and farmed land. For centuries they provided work and developed a health ser- vice. A new cross-border circular trail in the region is dedicated to the „Traces of the Knights of St John“. The draining of the Oder and War- ta Marshes under the Prussian King Frederick II is one of the technical and planning masterpieces of the 18th century. It laid an important foundation for the economic rise of the region. Permanently navigable, artificial shipping lanes such as the Oder-Spree Canal, the reclamation and settlement of the Warta fen- land („Nowa Amerika“) on an area of around 250 km² and finally the con- nection to the railway and the tram- ways made the further rapid, indus- trial development of the Oder-Warta region possible. Groundbreaking inventions (e.g. in fire protection), new technologies (agricultural machinery, lime kilns), new industrial production process- es or reforms in agriculture and wa- ter management left a lasting mark on the region. Famous personalities and artists also developed their leg- acy here, including Walther Rath- enau, Heinrich von Kleist, Theodor Fontane, Adelbert von Chamisso or Albrecht Daniel Thaer. From military conflicts and threats of many epochs, Slavic ramparts, castle ruins, historical battlefields and modern fortress monuments have been preserved in the region, including the Prussian fortress sys- tem of Küstrin or the Zantok castle. The Thirty Years‘ War, the Seven Years‘ War, Napoleonic Wars, con- quests and occupations, and in part the First World War brought suffer- ing and devastation to the Oder and Warta rivers. In response to the needs of the mil- itary, however, entire branches of industry developed, such as brick- works and cannon foundries, as well as a distinctive transport infrastruc- ture. Remembering the exciting region- al history is made possible on both sides of the border by museums (e.g. Bad Freienwalde or Międzyrzecz), by memorial stones and various- ly designed places of experience. Archaeological evidence, histor- ical contexts, weapons and mili- tary-technical exhibits illustrate the region‘s area of tension between peoples, noble houses and nations. Today, it cannot be taken for granted that regional history is recognised, preserved, represented and lived as a common history. In 1945, the westward shift of Poland (see Space of Fate) led to the expulsion and/or forced migration of entire popula- tion groups east of the Oder River and thus to major changes in the region‘s culture of remembrance. As a result, differentiated views and Space of Common History and Culture