European Humanities
Objectives
- Gain knowledge of the historical development of the cities with a focus on the “memory of history”
- Enable students to understand how certain architectural monuments, art works, literature and music have shaped German identity
- Experience and critically evaluate contemporary social life and culture through a comparative lens and first-hand observation
Previous Activities Have Included
- Buchenwald Concentration Camp
- Bauhaus Dessau Permanent exhibition: Workshop of Modernism
- Mauerpark: Memorial cite of one of the most deadly strips of the Berlin Wall
- Berlinische Galerie. Landesmuseum für Moderne Kunst, Fotografie und Architektur
- Kreuzberg and Turkish Life: Kreuzberg Museum, followed by a Guided tour of Kreuzberg
- Symphony with the Berlin Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra
Description
Berlin-Potsdam
We investigate how history and culture have shaped the current concept of identity in the respective cities, and what role memory has played in the construction of nationalism. The aim is to be an active traveler and examine the destinations within the conceptual framework provided. The themes of memory and identity serve as a means of uncovering the layers of history in these cities.
Both Berlin and Potsdam were once important cultural centers and bear witness to the beauty and great intellectual achievements of German culture. Berlin, still a thriving metropolis bearing scars of the world and Cold wars, will provide a case study of how the radical developments of the 20th century have left traces and how from the ruins of totalitarian history a thriving contemporary capital emerged. The city’s memorial culture and multicultural inhabitants will receive special attention.
