Time Travel through Neu-Ulm: Old Photos, Stories & People – as a Program for Upcoming Events

Goal: What visitors should experience

A future “Time Travel through Neu-Ulm” should not be backward-looking nostalgia, but rather comprehensible, source-secure, and collaborative: people see, hear, and discuss how places and everyday life have changed over generations, and how the culture of remembrance is responsibly shaped today.

• Orientation: Which streets, squares, and riverbank areas are suitable as “time windows”?
• Classification: What context do images and films need so they are not misunderstood?
• Contribution: How can private photos, home movies, or sound recordings be preserved for future generations?

Formats for the coming months: Film, Photo, Sound & Walk

Schedule for a Time Travel Evening (Example)

The following schedule is intended as a template for future cultural evenings and can be adapted depending on location, audience, and material.

1. Admission & Context (10–15 min.): Purpose of the evening, source principle, note on sensitive content.
2. Block 1 (15–25 min.): City views & everyday scenes, with brief classification.
3. Block 2 (15–25 min.): Change of places and infrastructure; focus on “What do we see—and what not?”
4. Discussion (20–30 min.): Questions from the audience, memories as contemporary witness (with note on possible memory distortions).
5. Outlook (5 min.): Notes on next dates (walk, collection day, audio format).

Recommendation for moderation: Clearly separate statements into proven (source available), plausible (indications), open (still to be checked). This keeps the format credible and close to science, without seeming dry.

Places suitable for future stops

For a future time travel, places that are heavily used today and at the same time offer good comparison points for image material are suitable. From the twin city perspective, stations on both sides of the Danube can be connected.

• Danube banks & bridge areas: Sight lines, riverbank design, recreational use.
• Central squares: Places where usage (traffic, market, recreation) can be particularly well read.
• Neighborhood edges: Transitions between old stock, new buildings, and green spaces.
• Cultural and fortress sites: For film/audio formats with spatial effect and acoustics.

Practical tip for future walks: Only one core motif (photo/clip) and one guiding question per station. This increases comprehensibility and prevents information overload.

Curation Principles: Accuracy, Sources, Context

So that future time travel formats appear E-E-A-T-compliant (and not “just nice pictures”), they should be curated according to comprehensible rules:

• Show provenance: Where does the image/film come from (archive, collection, private holding)?
• Explain dating: Is the date certain (caption/source) or inferred (indications)?
• Provide context: Occasion of the recording, possible staging, viewing direction, image section.
• Limit interpretation: No firm claims without evidence; remain open in case of uncertainty.
• Polyphony: Invite different perspectives (e.g., urban history, building culture, everyday history).

A future companion booklet (printed or as PDF) can bundle all shown motifs with short sources, dating, and a brief glossary. This increases usefulness and trust.

Rights, Data Protection & Respectful Handling of Contemporary Witnesses

Future events with photos/films often touch on copyright and data protection. For a serious implementation, usage rights should be checked in advance and sensitive content carefully classified.

• Copyright: Before public screening and online publication, clarify whether the work is still protected or a usage license is available (e.g., from the rights holder or archive).
• Personal reference: If people are recognizable, a legal review is advisable for new publications (especially for more recent recordings or if private contexts are involved).
• Sensitive topics: Violence, war, discrimination, or propaganda contexts should not be shown “unfiltered” in the future; instead, classify and, if necessary, provide trigger warnings.
• Respect: Private material is not “exploited” but used in consultation; clearly communicate return rules and revocation options.

Note: This page does not replace legal advice. For specific programs, an individual review is advisable (e.g., by sponsor, archive, or legal advice).

Accessibility & Participation

To ensure that future time travel offerings reach as many people as possible, they should be planned to be low-barrier:

• Subtitles for film and video material (or live transcription for lectures).
• Good readability of image boards (large font, high contrast, short captions).
• Route planning for the walk: curbs, inclines, seating breaks, WC options.
• Audio alternatives: Text versions of audio content and vice versa.

Get Involved: How citizens can contribute material

For future collection or participation dates, a clear framework helps to ensure contributions are safe, respectful, and usable:

• Advance info: Which formats are accepted (photos, negatives, slides, Super-8, tapes, digital files)?
• Metadata checklist: Location, approximate year, occasion, people involved (if known), photographer/source.
• Usage options: “Digitization for the family only” vs. “Use for exhibitions/screenings” (separate in writing).
• Safe handling: Transport instructions (sleeves, no tape on originals), as well as gentle digitization.

This creates a growing collection that is not only “nice” but comprehensibly documented.

Sources & Further Information

1. Copyright Act (UrhG) — Legal basis for protection, usage rights, and public performance (accessed 2026-05-27)
2. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) — Framework for personal data, relevant for identifiable persons in digitized materials (accessed 2026-05-27)
3. German Digital Library — Overview and access to digital cultural heritage, including collection and context information (accessed 2026-05-27)
4. FIAF (International Federation of Film Archives) — Guidelines and standards in the field of film archiving and presentation (accessed 2026-05-27)