The research focuses on the central role played by German prisoners of war returning from the Soviet Union in German post-war memory culture. Through analysis of primary source material from their time in—and immediately after—captivity, the study demonstrates how their self-positioning as victims would be a key factor in the development of a collective sense of victimhood in Germany, which developed along the lines of the Cold War. This sense of victimhood would ultimately pose a significant obstacle to the recognition of Nazi Germany's war crimes and the associated question of guilt.

The research is made possible by the award of a NWO Doctoral Grant for Teachers to Boris Staal. This NWO grant offers teachers the opportunity to pursue a doctorate. The program helps teachers combine their doctoral research with their classroom work.