The Massenbach Diaries: Hesse Between the Grand Duchy and Democracy. An exhibition by the Hessian State Archives in Darmstadt.

Hessian State Archives, Darmstadt - Karolinenplatz 3, 64289 Darmstadt

The diaries of Fabian von Massenbach, aide-de-camp to Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig, which were kept under lock and key for many years, paint an unusual picture of the period between 1896 and 1948. The exhibition focuses on Hesse’s transition to democracy from 1918 to 1948 and also examines the threats to that process. Massenbach provides a vivid account of this process, offering commentary and documentation that allow visitors to understand it through the direct experience of a contemporary witness.

Locked away and blacked out—the diaries of Baron von Massenbach, aide-de-camp to the last Grand Duke of Hesse, which he kept between 1896 and 1948, have been through a lot. Now, for the first time, they are being brought to light as part of a major exhibition at the Haus der Geschichte in Darmstadt.

The exhibition focuses on Hesse’s transition to democracy in 1918–19. Massenbach observed the upheaval from within the inner circle of the old elites and judged the behavior of this social class just as critically as that of revolutionary groups.

For him, however, Hesse’s transformation into a republic in 1918–19 was never in doubt. Based on these diary entries and enriched with archival and visual material, the exhibition will bring this pivotal experience to life, while also tracing the development of democracy and its suppression up to Massenbach’s death in 1948. The result is a multifaceted picture of the political upheavals in the first half of the 20th century, which continue to shape the democratic fabric to this day.
The exhibition is sponsored by the Hessian Cultural Foundation, the Merck Society for Art and Science, and Sparkasse Darmstadt and Dieburg.


Dates: October 22 through March 5, 2026
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.


- Free admission -
 

Nächste Termine

Do.

22

Okt. 2026

00:00 Uhr bis 05.03.2027 23:59  Uhr

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