The movement between countries without moving: A German minority community archive in Poland and its impacts and practices

Abstract

The German Minority Research Center is a grassroots, non-governmental organization dedicated to researching and documenting the German minority in Poland, with particular emphasis on the formation of minority organizations after the turn in 1989/1990. The Center records and protects the history and identity of Germans in Poland. The paper aims to present the practices and impacts of this community archive, with a special focus on social and affective impacts. Moreover, the paper touches the challenges faced by the archive and how it strives for sustainability and resilience. Data were obtained through qualitative interviews conducted in August 2024, and through direct on-site observations and desk research.