Farewell Comrades! Interactive

In 1975, almost half the world's population lived in a communist state. Only 16 years later, Gorbachev announced his resignation. How could the fall of the Soviet Empire happen so fast? Which forces caused this shift? And why did no one foresee the decline? This transmedial documentary production answers these questions by allowing not only those responsible within the system, but also "regular" people to speak their minds. The postcards they sent between 1975 and 1991 are the connecting tissue between the various platforms: a chronological TV series in six episodes, a historical non-fiction book, an exhibition, a website, and a mobile app. In the online media, the starting point is always a postcard that you can select on a timeline, a map of Europe or through themes like the Cold War, secret services, love, and youth. In video messages, the original senders then reveal the how, the what, and the why of the card. Twenty years after the fact, they give a whole new meaning to the old socialist slogan: "Ever forwards, never backwards!"

Unfortunately, the technology used to make this interactive project available online is no longer supported. However, new solutions to preserve and update projects technically are continuously being explored within the interactive field. Whenever possible, we will bring this project back online.