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Video: 'Border Crossings' - the first motion comic in the MoCom project was published in June 2022.

"Border Crossings"

Project 1

The motion comic “Border Crossings” tells two stories: The young Anna wants to escape from the German Democratic Republic (GDR) to her partner in Austria. Reza flees from Iran into the divided Germany. Will they be able to find a new life between the borders of a divided Europe?

The first group in the MoCom project began their memory work on the topic of Border Crossings in November 2021. The project participants collected memories from contemporary eyewitnesses. Afterwards, they collectively developed the narration for their motion comic. The artists Azam Aghalouy and Hassan Tavakoli translated the story into pictures.

The accompanying educational material for the motion comic “Border Crossings” is available for educational work in schools and elsewhere. The 10-minute video and additional material can be used not only in history class. Due to references to the present they can be embedded in art, ethics, politics, English and German lessons. Yu can watch both the English and German version of the motion comic on YouTube with subtitles (DE, EN).

Download the accompanying material as PDF via the button below. The file can be used digitally as well as printed. Or contact us to receive print copies. We would be interested to know how you have used the motion comic and accompanying material in your school or institution!


Trigger warning: The motion comic tells two stories in which people had to flee. In particular, people who have themselves been forced to leave their homes may be reminded of their own experiences by some of the scenes.

Story and Text: Alexandra Enciu, Madina Haidari, Adrian Pourviseh, Romy Schwarzer, Katja Utzig; coordinated by Lisa Hölscher

Illustrations: Azam Aghalouy & Hassan Tavakoli

Video editing: Hassan Tavakoli

Narrators: Adrian Pourviseh, Anja Werner

Project coordination and production management: Lisa Hölscher

Project idea, concept and planning: Dr. Sarah Fichtner & PD Dr. Anja Werner

Project implementation: Insa Ahrens, Dr. Susan Frisch, Lisa Hölscher, Felix Ludwig from the Marienborn Memorial to Divided Germany

Music from Ronald Kah (Babylon 18)

Sounds from AUDIYOU: Bahnhofshalle, einsam (von Sam Gelbert), Knarrende Schranktür, Quietschende Türe öffnen (von Carmen Lendi), U-Bahn Berlin (von M. Hildebrandt), Zug-Atmo (© 2012-2022 Georg Gunkel-Schwaderer / mobile-medienarbeit.de //AUDIYOU-Edition).
Sounds from mixkit Sound Effects Free License: Stopping Truck, Train arrival at station, Truck accelerates.
Sounds from SOUND JAY: Airplane landing 01, Baby cooing 10, Baby crying 01, Crowd talking 5PD