Forgotten by Fortune. Compulsory Welfare Measures in Bern and Switzerland

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Placed in out-of-home care, put to work, placed in guardianship, housed in institutions: by around the 1970s, several hundred thousand children, adolescents and adults in Switzerland had been subjected to compulsory welfare measures and fostering. In the Canton of Bern they numbered at least fifty thousand. Many came from difficult social or economic backgrounds. If a family did not conform to middle-class norms, the authorities reacted with repressive measures that violated personal rights.

For some years now, the people who suffered have been becoming increasingly vocal. They report what they have undergone and demand that the long-term impact be accounted for and mitigated. The fact that they were wronged is now officially recognised. In 2011, the Canton Government of Bern issued an apology.

The exhibition


The exhibition, curated by historian Tanja Rietmann, focuses on five people affected. For the exhibition, scenographer Karin Bucher has created walk-in rooms made entirely out of cardboard, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the stories of these people. Audio plays and archive documents recount their fates. And the question is asked: How does what happened affect us today?

The audio plays can be accessed via media guide. It can be downloaded to your own smartphone. Media guides are also available to borrow from the visitor service.

On some Saturday and Sunday afternoons, trained members of the museum's volunteer team are on site as dialogue partners. They offer interested visitors a sympathetic ear so that they can talk about, process or further discuss the disturbing themes of the exhibition.

Opening times

  • Monday
    • closed
  • Tuesday
    • 10:00 - 17:00
  • Wednesday
    • 10:00 - 17:00
  • Thursday
    • 10:00 - 17:00
  • Friday
    • 10:00 - 17:00
  • Saturday
    • 10:00 - 17:00
  • Sunday
    • 10:00 - 17:00

Admission prices

  • Adultes Basic Rate
    CHF 16
  • Children (from 6 to 16) Basic Rate
    CHF 8

Free admission for:

Visitors with a Swiss Museum Pass, Museums-PASS-Musées, Museumscard Bern 24h, or Kultur-GA
School classes from Switzerland
Refugees with N, S, or F residence permits


For more information about concessions, please visit bhm.ch.

Temporary Exhibition

Location

Duration

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Organizer

More information / Tickets at:

Karte

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