Under Propaganda – Archaeology between war and peace

Archaeology between war and peace

Archaeology uncovers history and sometimes even becomes history itself. Between 1920 and 1972, political systems used archaeological finds and excavations in South Tyrol to reinforce their own ideologies. Fascist-influenced Italian scientists presented Roman relics as evidence of the region’s “Latin origins,” while Nazi researchers interpreted their finds as confirmation of a “Germanic” past. 

This is how science got caught up in the maelstrom of politics: finds were overinterpreted, excavations appropriated, and research ideologically distorted. And even once the Second World War had ended, this “clash of civilizations” left ripples that lingered long afterwards. 

The special exhibition UNDER PROPAGANDA brings this conflict-ridden era of South Tyrol’s history of archaeology to life. Numerous finds from 1920-1972 are being reinterpreted for the first time according to modern scientific standards, and many of them will be on public display for the first time ever. Interactive stations featuring documents from historical excavations invite visitors to explore the working practices of past generations. 

Young visitors can also embark on a journey of discovery: an entertaining “underground” operation brings the unexpected stories of selected objects to light. 

The exhibition vividly and variedly demonstrates how archaeology was misused for propaganda – and how enlightening it is to reexamine past finds from a critical point of view today.