Emotional reunion: Emigration center brings families together in Bremerhaven

Emotional reunion: Emigration center brings families together in Bremerhaven

A warm visit to German emigration center in Bremerhaven ensures an emotional reunion. Frank Horstmann, 61 years old, followed in the footsteps of his great-great-uncle Wilhelm, who emigrated from Bremen to New York on September 5, 1926. With his friends, they look through the house's passenger lists and hope to find out more about their family's tragic history.

Wilhelm, like many of his contemporaries, emigrated after the First World War in search of better work opportunities. Paid off by his brother, he set off across the Atlantic in third grade. However, there were no substantial points of contact with his new life: Wilhelm never spoke German to his children because he was ashamed of his German roots. This family tragedy meant that contact between the families broke off over the years and could not be restored until Frank and his relatives rediscovered their roots.

The history of the emigrant house

The German emigration center in Bremerhaven is not only a place of remembrance, but also a living part of migration history. Opened on August 8, 2005, it is the first museum in Germany to deal intensively with the topic of migration. Bremerhaven was the largest emigration port in continental Europe from 1830 to 1874 and attracts around 180,000 visitors every year.

The permanent exhibition offers an exciting tour through the history of European emigration overseas and immigration to Germany. From everyday history to the biographies of over 3,000 families, a lot can be experienced here. Visitors can use an RFID ticket, the BoardingPass, to navigate through the exhibition and activate audio and media stations that provide valuable insights.

Rediscovered family ties

After years of standstill, Frank Horstmann has been in contact with the descendants of his great-great-uncle since 2016. The families have picked up the thread of their story primarily through social media, especially Facebook. Regular visits make it possible to overcome the emotional gap that has bridged decades and continents. The visit to the emigrants' house not only confronted Frank and his circle of friends with the historical dimension of their ancestry, but also with the opportunity to reestablish lost connections.

“I am grateful to the emigration center for re-establishing contact,” says Frank Horstmann, touched. It is clear that for him and his family the museum is not only a place of memories, but also of hope and new relationships.