Beyond the Border and the Boundaries
Stories of Korean Nurses who went to Germany
The Seoul Museum of History is exhibiting stories of Korean nurses who went to Germany during the 1960s to 1970s and formed the first Korean community in the country. Germany successfully revitalized its economy after the country was defeated and collapsed after World War II.
Germany recruited nurses from abroad as the country was suffering from a manpower shortage upon the improvement of the social security system and many nurses in Korea chose to go to Germany for the stabilization of their family and personal development.
This will be an opportunity to ruminate on the modern history of Korea through the lives of Korean female nurses who crossed cultural and political boundaries by moving from one divided country to another divided country, Germany, starting their careers as nurses at hospitals particularly in the divided city of Berlin, and becoming part of their society after taking root in the foreign country.