National Women's History Exhibition Hall Revisits 60-Year History of Korean Nurses Dispatched to Germany... Commemorative Event Concludes Successfully

Brought together through a book talk, theater and oral testimonies
One-act play staged by a theater troupe of Korean nurses dispatched to Germany
Commemorative exhibition open through January next year

The National Women's History Exhibition Hall, operated by the Korea Institute for Gender Equality Promotion and Education under the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, said it successfully concluded a commemorative event on October 13 marking the 60th anniversary of Korean nurses' dispatch to Germany.

The event was organized in connection with the commemorative exhibition, "Those Who Chose Tomorrow," on display in the exhibition hall's first-floor special exhibition gallery. Through literature, theater and vivid oral testimonies, it explored the history of women who traveled to unfamiliar Germany in 1966 and forged lives for themselves as confident professionals and independent individuals.

A performance of “Diary of an Angel in Berlin,” a special one-act play by the theater troupe “Red Shoes,” made up of nurses sent to Germany, is underway. Courtesy of Yangpyeongwon.

The event opened with a book talk by Park Gyeongran, author of "Hello, Hongi," a book about the lives and migration history of Korean nurses dispatched to Germany. Park explored the paths they left behind and their historical and social significance from a literary perspective.

Theater troupe Red Shoes, made up of seven Korean nurses dispatched to Germany, then performed its special one-act play, "Diary of an Angel in Berlin." Based on the diary of the protagonist, Ilsuk, the play portrayed the memories of young people who headed to a foreign land with dreams of becoming writers, singers, dancers and more, as well as the hardships they faced in unfamiliar hospitals.

Korean nurses dispatched to Germany took part in the final program, an on-site discussion and sharing of oral testimonies. They shared stories with the audience that had not made it into official documents or records, from anecdotes about their youth, when they decided to go to Germany in search of a new life, to their journey of confidently claiming their rights as workers and citizens in German society.

Kang Seongeun, director of the National Women's History Exhibition Hall, said, "The history of Korean nurses dispatched to Germany is not just a national narrative; it is the history of women workers who protected and expanded their lives even in unfamiliar surroundings." She added, "I hope this event, marking 60 years since their dispatch, will provide an opportunity to remember their challenges and solidarity as an integral part of history."

The exhibition commemorating the 60th anniversary of Korean nurses' dispatch to Germany will remain open in the National Women's History Exhibition Hall's first-floor special exhibition gallery through January 30, 2027. Visitors can view more than 60 photographs capturing the joys and sorrows of Korean nurses dispatched to Germany in the 1960s through the 1980s, as well as period pay statements and letters, records of Korean women's groups in Germany, and Kim Okseon's photographic series "Portraits of Berlin." Admission is free.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.