THE LOST GENERATION.

THEIR ART. THEIR STORIES.

10 October 2025 - 6 March 2027

verlorenen generation

Who are the Lost Generation? This question will be explored by the Museum Art of the Lost Generation this fall with two groundbreaking projects: The new collection catalogue “You Will Not Be Forgotten. The Lost Generation. Their Art. Their Stories” and the accompanying exhibition “The Lost Generation. Their Art. Their Stories” (October 10, 2025 – March 6, 2027). The publication and exhibition are dedicated to the artistic work of a generation that was marginalized, persecuted, and censored by the Nazi regime in Germany, Austria, and other parts of Europe. Their works were confiscated, destroyed, or created in exile and secrecy.

“You Will Not Be Forgotten. The Lost Generation. Their Art. Their Stories” will be presented at the Museum Art of the Lost Generation on October 9, 2025, as part of the upcoming exhibition opening and will be officially released on October 10, 2025.

Preorder the catalogue now!

The collection tells of individual fates, hidden stories, and remarkable artistic rediscoveries. In this way, the museum makes a significant contribution to the critical engagement with the past and present, keeping these stories alive. This work is made possible by the non-profit foundation behind it, which is committed to preserving the museum and its research. As one of the few remaining Holocaust survivors, museum founder Prof. Dr. Heinz R. Böhme has made it his mission to preserve his collection of around 700 artworks for future generations.

The publication features a foreword by both Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier emphasizing the importance of this collection and museum as part of the Austrian cultural landscape. The catalogue is further complemented by contributions from various authors, including the award-winning writer Katja Petrowskaja, together with Prof. Dr. Heinz R. Böhme, with the first detailed biography about the collector. Literature scholar Dr. Brian Haman, and the museum’s lead curator, Marie-Christin Gebhardt, MA provide further context about the collection. With these connecting written contributions, along with 50 new biographies, large-format illustrations, and an expanded collection inventory, this volume opens another chapter in the engagement with a challenging legacy – and makes it clear: Art remains. Their stories live on.

The accompanying exhibition brings the contents of the collection catalog into the museum space: Around 50 selected artworks, exciting guided tours, and illustrative explanations invite visitors to engage with the central themes of the collection in a vivid way. These include topics such as “Women Artists of the Lost Generation,” “Censored & ‘Degenerate,'” “Exile & Stopovers,” “Marginalized & Dehumanized,” and “Regime Criticism & Political Persecution.”

The biographies of the artists in the collection vividly demonstrate what this historical context meant for the individual. Their life stories not only show the complexity of their work but also the background of the art of the Lost Generation. With this exhibition, the museum aims to bring their stories to life, open new perspectives, and highlight that their artistic legacy continues to resonate to this day.