The atomic age in Westphalia. From the future to history

An era ended on April 15, 2023: after much back and forth, Germany stopped producing electricity through nuclear energy. On this occasion, the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe (LWL) is showing the traveling exhibition "The Atomic Age in Westphalia. From the future to history". It offers a historical review of the history of nuclear power with a focus on Westphalia-Lippe as well as a look at current debates and the future. The exhibition can be seen in the "Stern" museum in Warburg from June 18, 2023 and will then travel through seven other Westphalian museums. The Federal Republic of Germany has been concerned with the issue of nuclear energy almost since its inception. Since then, society, politics, companies and research have been fighting for truth and shaping the future. The exhibition explores the topic in three chapters. "Actors are the focus of the first exhibition area," says curator Sarah Pfeiffer from the LWL Museum Office for Westphalia. "This is where people have their say whose lives are linked to the history of nuclear power through their work and commitment. They report from their perspective and evaluate their own role in it." Around half of the loans were provided by the actors themselves. The exhibits come from initiatives and individuals from the anti-nuclear movement, from the nuclear industry, from politics and administration. All of them deal with nuclear energy in different ways. Items of clothing on display include underwear for the control area from Hochtemperatur-Kraftwerk GmbH, the fire-red loudspeaker truck that accompanied the "No Nuclear Waste in Ahaus e.V." initiative on demonstrations for a long time, the R200 nuclear power plant steam engine from the Lüdenscheid-based company Wilesco and a recovery container for contaminated material from the Münster fire department. Loriot's "Christmas at Hoppenstedts" is also a classic from West German television that deals with nuclear power. The second part of the exhibition is dedicated to looking back at the past, with the four Westphalian nuclear sites Würgassen (Höxter district), Hamm, Gronau and Ahaus (both Borken district) at the center. The fuel is always the focus because it is both the basis for electricity generation and the cause of the social conflict over nuclear energy. Using the four nuclear sites in Westphalia, the exhibition explores the question of how it is produced and what happens to it during electricity production and afterwards: The fuel is processed in the "Urenco" uranium enrichment plant in Gronau, in the Würgassen nuclear power plant and in Hamm-Uentrop it was used in different forms. The spent fuel will be stored in the interim fuel storage facility in Ahaus until a location for the final storage facility is determined and then set up, probably between 2046 and 2068. "Climate change, the shelling of the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant by the Russian military, energy shortages and life extensions – it has been a long time since the topic of nuclear power has been discussed as controversially as it has been in the last year and a half," says Dr. Ulrike Gilhaus, head of the LWL Westphalia Museum Office. The third part of the exhibition explores these current debates. What impact did they have on people and their attitudes? Visitors can comment on this in the exhibition. There is also the question of what remains of the history of nuclear energy in Germany. Within the interactive station "Preserving knowledge about Westphalia"" visitors can leave behind location-specific knowledge and thus write history together. A catalog with 144 pages, numerous illustrations and further text contributions deepens and expands the subject areas and shows selected exhibition objects. It is available in bookstores and at exhibition stations for 19 euros. There is also an accompanying museum educational program with guided tours. A guided tour for blind and visually impaired visitors is also offered at each location.