Paperbomb

IMAGINE ALL BOMBS ARE MADE OF PAPER...

Monumental yet fragile - Nezilla's sculpture "Paperbomb" is a symbol of peace, remembrance and friendship. She is currently embarking on a journey to exhibition sites in France that are historically linked to wars. 

Inspired by the 1,600 origami cranes of the Hibakusha Sadako Sasaki, which are considered a universal symbol of peace, Nezilla transfers the message into a new medium. The formal design of the installation, which, despite its metallic construction, refers to the fragility of the material paper, reflects the ambivalence of destruction and creation as well as war and peace. Massive and inescapable, it challenges viewers to come to terms with its presence. In this way, the "Paperbomb" mirrors the role of the individual between fragility and permanence in the fight for peace: If we do not fight for peace, then it does not exist.

The fact that it is not a unique piece but a series of sculptures underlines the universal validity of its message as a symbol of peace as well as its ability to reach a wide international audience.

FRANCE

By intentionally placing the work at locations in France that were the scene of massacres and crimes during the First and Second World Wars, the "Paperbomb" now takes on a contextual meaning. While exhibiting the "Paperbomb" at historically charged locations amplifies tensions inherent in the work, it becomes a memorial against forgetting and serves as an appeal to actively work for peace. In a global society marked by war conflicts, the message of maintaining peace as a common goal is more urgent than ever.

The different locations refer to the territorial extent of the war crimes and at the same time point to the many individual fates of the victims. This creates a unique, location-dependent dynamic between the work and its surroundings, which initiates an ongoing dialogue and thus creates an overall picture that vividly shows the viewer how quickly their own actions can become a threat.

As a memorial against forgetting and as a symbol of peace, the "Paperbomb" reminds us that we must learn from history in order not to repeat the mistakes of the past. In its artistic exploration, the work embodies not only the memory of past deeds but also the hope for a more peaceful future, based on political friendship and solidarity.

TULLE

June 9th marks the 80th anniversary of the massacre of 99 innocent civilians and the deportation of over 150 other civilians, 101 of whom never returned. To commemorate this disgraceful event, a two-meter version of the "Paperbomb" will be unveiled at the central memorial site, the Champ des Martyrs. As a symbol of peace, the sculpture by a German artist, exhibited at a French memorial, stands for German-French rapprochement and friendship.

The following day, French President Emmanuel Macron visited the sculpture at the memorial site. Afterwards, in Oradour-sur-Glane, he was presented with a miniature version of the PAPERBOMB by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

In Oradour-sur-Glane, the Federal President presented his French counterpart Macron with a miniature version of the sculpture, which keeps the memory of the deeds of the past alive and at the same time serves as a symbol of reconciliation and dialogue. "The sculpture 'Paperbomb' reflects the fragility of peace and the need to preserve it. It stands for our shared responsibility to keep the memory alive and to work together for a peaceful future," explained Steinmeier.

HARTMANNSWILLERKOPF

Exactly 110 years after the outbreak of the First World War and ten years after the historic ceremony in the presence of the two Presidents Gauck and Hollande, another important sign of remembrance and reconciliation was set on August 3, 2024: the inauguration of the "Paperbomb" sculpture on the Hartmannswillerkopf.

The Hartmannswillerkopf was bitterly fought over during the First World War. Between 1914 and 1916 there were fierce battles in which tens of thousands lost their lives. While the French soldiers called the Hartmannswillerkopf the "Mountain of Death", the Germans called it the "Cannibal Mountain". Today the Hartmannswillerkopf is not only a memorial, but also a lively place of exchange and has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage since last year.

HARTMANNSWILLERKOPF

Exactly 110 years after the outbreak of the First World War and ten years after the historic ceremony in the presence of the two Presidents Gauck and Hollande, another important sign of remembrance and reconciliation was set on August 3, 2024: the inauguration of the "Paperbomb" sculpture on the Hartmannswillerkopf.

The Hartmannswillerkopf was bitterly fought over during the First World War. Between 1914 and 1916 there were fierce battles in which tens of thousands lost their lives. While the French soldiers called the Hartmannswillerkopf the "Mountain of Death", the Germans called it the "Cannibal Mountain". Today the Hartmannswillerkopf is not only a memorial, but also a lively place of exchange and has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage since last year.

The ceremony, to which Helmut Augustin, Chairman of the Salon Diplomatique, Folker R. Zöller, the French Honorary Consul in Mannheim, and Jean Klinkert, President of the memorial, had invited, attracted numerous representatives from politics, business, culture and society from both sides of the Rhine. Among the guests of honour were Mannheim's mayor Christian Specht, the Minister of Justice of the State of Baden-Württemberg Marion Gentges, the prefect of the Haut-Rhin department, Thierry Queffelec, as well as numerous MPs, mayors and district administrators and members of the consular corps.

In his speech, Mayor Christian Specht highlighted the importance of the Hartmannswillerkopf as a symbol of the senselessness and suffering of war and at the same time emphasised its role as a place of German-French friendship and mutual learning. He recalled that on August 3, 1914, the German Empire declared war on France and thousands of soldiers lost their lives here. Helmut Augustin emphasized the importance of the "Paperbomb" sculpture as a symbol of the fragility of peace. The sculpture is to be installed at historically significant locations in France and Germany to commemorate the cruelties of the First and Second World Wars and to promote peace. After the speeches, two large floral arrangements were laid at the memorial. The program also included readings of soldiers' letters by German and French young people, including students from the Ludwig-Frank Gymnasium in Mannheim, as well as a minute's silence for the fighters and victims of the First World War.

MANNHEIM

On May 9, 2025, Europe's Day, the sculpture "Paperbomb" was ceremoniously unveiled in the historic Zeughausgarten of the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museums Mannheim. The choice of this location is deliberate: The Zeughaus, once a symbol of military power, is transformed by the installation into a space of reflection. Where weapons were once stored, now stands a paper bomb—fragile as peace itself. The garden thus simultaneously embodies human growth and the hope for peaceful coexistence.

Among the prominent guests was Pierre Lévy, former French ambassador to Russia, Poland, and the Czech Republic, who was awarded the honorary title of Ambassador of France in 2024. Lévy said: "In Moscow, memory is manipulated to secure power. Here, however, it is cultivated to create peace." Justice Minister Marion Gentges (CDU) drew a connection to the past in her speech: She recalled the bitter fighting at Hartmannswillerkopf, where another "paper bomb" already stands. "There, on the Mountain of Death, as the French and Germans alike call it, the sculpture has an impact beyond history. It enables commemoration without borders." Mannheim's mayor Christian Specht (CDU) also offered powerful words. He recalled that cannonballs were once stored in the armory to protect against attacks from France – today, a monument to reconciliation stands on this site. "The Paperbomb forces us to confront history. It transforms this garden into a place of hope—a garden of peace."

The Zeughausgarten is the first exhibition venue for "Paperbomb" in Germany. The already displayed sculptures in France – at Hartmannswillerkopf and in Tulle – together form a transnational memorial. They commemorate the victims of war and violence while simultaneously making a powerful statement for Franco-German friendship.

ORADOUR-SUR-GLANE

On June 10, 2025, a two-meter-tall "Paperbomb" sculpture was installed at the northern entrance of the historic village of Oradour-sur-Glane. This date marks the 81st anniversary of the massacre committed on June 10, 1944, by the Second SS Panzer Division "Das Reich," which resulted in the deaths of 643 people and the complete destruction of the village. This act is considered the largest German massacre in Western Europe during World War II.

The sculpture's placement creates both a material and symbolic transition between the destroyed and the new Oradour. As a memorial against forgetting and a symbol of peace, "Paperbomb" in Oradour-sur-Glane connects the past, present, and future.

The ruins of the original village, now a national memorial under monument protection, remain a poignant warning against the atrocities of war. The sculpture complements this place of remembrance and emphasizes the enduring importance of memory.

JEJU FORUM FOR PEACE & PROSPERITY

A first message of peace was already conveyed by Phillippe Hansch, Director of the World Centre for Peace, Freedoms and Human Rights (Centre Mondial de la paix – Verdun), who presented the PAPERBOMB at the JEJU FORUM FOR PEACE & PROSPERITY in South Korea in May 2024.

Eine Reise gegen das Vergessen – Voyage contre l’oubli

In October 2024, a cultural journey brought together 20 German and 20 French students to historically significant sites of the First and Second World Wars, including the exhibition locations of Nezillas' "Paperbomb"—Vieil Armand in Alsace, Tulle, and Oradour-sur-Glane. 

The project is under the patronage of H.E. François Delattre, the French Ambassador to Germany, and H.E. Stephan Steinlein, the German Ambassador to France. The trip, titled "Les 80 ans de la Libération," is supported by the French Honorary Consulate in Mannheim, the Institut Français Mannheim, and the association Le Souvenir français.