September at the City Museum: dance, film, art talks and history on site

The programme of events accompanying the special exhibition "Heavy Steps" continues in September with a wide range of activities. The highlight of the month is the mid-exhibition event on 13 September, featuring dance performances and guided tours of the exhibition. The Stadtwaldlager and the Bocholt Stolpersteine are also back on the programme.

In September, the special exhibition "Heavy Steps: Stories of Flight and New Beginnings from Bocholt" will open its doors to a wide range of perspectives: "There's something for everyone", says Lisa Resing, director of the Bocholt City Museum. The extensive supporting programme is deliberately designed to offer different ways of engaging with the themes of flight, migration, loss, arrival and living together. Alongside traditional guided tours, the September programme therefore includes films, dance, art talks, lectures and other event formats.

Kick-off with a public guided tour

The programme kicks off on Friday 4 September 2026, from 6.00 pm to 7.30 pm, with a public guided tour of "Schwere Schritte%$. The tour combines historical and contemporary perspectives on flight and migration with personal life stories from Bocholt and the artistic works in the exhibition. Participation is free of charge; please register with the Bocholt City Museum.

"The Special Film": No Country for Nobody

On Tuesday, 8 September at 8.00 pm, the supporting programme moves to the Kinodrom Bocholt. As part of the "KINO Bocholt - the special film" series, the documentary "No Country for Nobody - The Isolation of an Immigration Nation" will be screened. The film highlights the realities of displacement and gives those affected a voice and a face. Interviews with activists, academics and political decision-makers shed light on the social and political context. At the same time, the documentary examines the rise of right-wing populism and the mechanisms used to stoke fears and influence public debate. Tickets cost 7 euros and are available from the Kinodrom.

City Archives invites you to a discussion on displacement and the city's history

On Thursday 10 September at 6.30 pm, the Bocholt City Archives invites you to the special exhibition as part of the 'Bocholt City History Discussion Group'.

After all, displacement is not an issue that affects only others. Questions of protection, humanity, belonging and living together concern society as a whole. The evening will use the exhibition as a starting point to take a closer look, explore historical and contemporary connections, and engage in dialogue with one another. An event for anyone who would like to learn more about the ideas and stories behind "Schwere Schritte" and contribute their own perspectives.

Participation is free of charge. Registrations can be made via the VHS Bocholt or by email to stadtarchiv(at)bocholt(dot)de.

Midissage: Exhibition meets contemporary dance

A special highlight will take place on Sunday 13 September 2026: the City Museum invites you to the midissage of "Schwere Schritte". As well as two guided tours of the exhibition, the exhibition will become a venue for contemporary dance on this day. At 3 pm and 4.30 pm, Melanie López López and Ricardo Campos Freire from Münster will present their dance performance "Something in Between". The two dancers explore the question of what it means to share the same physical space with another person at the same time. They explore how spaces influence bodies and movements, and how relationships develop through the interplay of space and time. In dialogue with "Schwere Schritte", the performance takes on an additional layer of meaning. It traces the paths of new beginnings, transitions and encounters, and resonates with selected artistic works in the exhibition. The focus is on the vulnerability and strength of human connection, on new beginnings, and on relationships that arise from the shared experience of space and time.

Both performances are open to the public free of charge and do not require prior booking. In addition, public guided tours of "Schwere Schritte" will take place at 1.30 pm and 5.30 pm.

Further guided tours of "Schwere Schritte"

Even after the opening reception, there will be several opportunities to explore the exhibition on a guided tour. On Monday 14 September at 3.00 pm and on Tuesday 22 September at 3.00 pm, the City Museum will be offering further free public guided tours. On Tuesday 29 September at 4.00 pm, there will be a concise public mini-tour. Immediately following the mini-tour, there will be another "Meet the Artist%$ event on 29 September at 5.00 pm. In this format, participating artists present their works in person and offer insights into their ideas, creative processes and their very own engagement with the exhibition's themes. This time, Nora Weßel, Heidi Artz and Georg Paar will be taking part. Please register at the City Museum.

Local history at a historic site: the Stadtwald camp and Stolpersteine

Alongside the supporting programme for "Schwere Schritte%$, the Stadtmuseum is continuing its programme of historical guided tours in the Bocholt area throughout September. On Thursday 17 September at 5 pm, Dr Werner Loock will lead a tour of the Bocholt Stadtwaldlager. This public guided tour explores the eventful history of the historic site and brings the different phases of its use to life right at the authentic location. Participation is free of charge, but registration with the Bocholt City Museum is required.

On Wednesday 23 September at 5 pm, the final public 'Stolperstein' tour of the year will also take place. Dr Monika Wobben will lead a tour to selected Stolpersteine in the Bocholt town centre, commemorating the people whose life stories and experiences of persecution lie behind these small memorials in the streets. This tour is also free of charge. Please register with the Bocholt City Museum.

An overview of the September events

• 4 September 2026 | 6.00-7.30 pm: Public guided tour of "Schwere Schritte" - registration at the Bocholt City Museum
• 8 September 2026 | 8.00 pm: "The Special Film": 'No Country for Nobody' - The Isolation of an Immigration Country at the Kinodrom - Tickets: 7 euros via the Kinodrom
• 10 September 2026 | 6.30 pm: Discussion group on Bocholt's town history in "Schwere Schritte" - Register via VHS Bocholt or stadtarchiv(at)bocholt(dot)de
• 13 September 2026 | all day: Midissage "Schwere Schritte"
• 13 September 2026 | 1.30 pm: Public exhibition tour - registration at the City Museum
• 13 September 2026 | 3.00 pm: Dance performance "Something in Between" - no registration required
• 13 September 2026 | 4.30 pm: Dance performance "Something in Between" - no registration required
• 13 September 2026 | 5.30 pm: Public exhibition tour - book at the City Museum
• 14 September 2026 | 3.00 pm: Public guided tour of "Schwere Schritte" - registration at the City Museum
• 17 September 2026 | 5.00 pm: Public guided tour of the Bocholt Stadtwaldlager with Dr Werner Loock - registration at the City Museum
• 22 September 2026 | 3.00 pm: Public guided tour of "Schwere Schritte" - Register at the City Museum
• 23 September 2026 | 5.00 pm: Last public Stolperstein tour of the year with Dr Monika Wobben - book at the City Museum
• 29 September 2026 | 4.00 pm: Short public guided tour of "Schwere Schritte" - Register at the City Museum
• 29 September 2026 | 5.00 pm: "Meet the Artist" with Nora Weßel, Heidi Artz and Georg Paar

With the exception of the film screening, all the events listed are free of charge.

Further information and registration details for the City Museum's events are available at www.stadtmuseum-bocholt.de, by email to stadtmuseum(at)bocholt(dot)de or by telephone on 02871 953-2171.

The special exhibition "Heavy Steps. Bocholt Stories of Flight and New Beginnings" and its accompanying programme are supported by the Ministry for Home Affairs, Local Government, Construction and Digitalisation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia as part of the Heimat-Fonds, the LWL Museum Office for Westphalia, the Stadtsparkasse Bocholt and the Rudolf and Margot Ostermann Foundation. The City Museum would also like to thank all the project and cooperation partners involved, as well as the numerous supporters of the project.