How are stories and experiences of former contract workers told amidst a complex web of silences and silencing, including state-sanctioned, societal, familial, and individual, that span generations and communities? Who has the authority to tell these stories? Where do they find their voices and in which spaces? How do these stories circulate or face obstacles? And what impact does this have on individuals, families, and communities? These questions are explored in this workshop through the sharing of storytelling experiences, challenges, and practices between those who arrived as contract workers in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and their children. At the heart of this workshop lies the intergenerational bond nurtured by food and music that were significant to the participants' lives in the GDR and after unification. Accompanying the sharing of food and songs are stories, biographies, and memories, thus becoming catalysts for intergenerational and intercommunity connections and fostering active listening, collaborative learning, and collective healing that disrupt the web of silences.

With contributions from:

Hany Tea, My Migrant Mama