Educational Impact of Bavaria’s Interwar Exhibition on Students

Friday evening, I went to the vernissage of the temporary exhibition ‘Life in upheaval Bavaria 1918 – 1925: Between democracy, self-determination and violence’ at the Historisches Museum in Bayreuth. The exhibition is the result of the work of my colleague Julia Eichenberg, at the Institut für Fränkische Landesgeschichte of the University of Bayreuth, who supervised her students for researching archival materials to present this glimpse of interwar political upheaval in Bavaria and the twilight of the Weimar Republic. Needless to say, the students went well beyond their assignment and learned far more and more effectively than in the confine of a classroom. 

This is an amazing and inspiring example of pedagogy, public history, and connection between institutions of higher education and society. It activated all learning styles and motivated the students to engage with primary sources of various kinds to reconstruct several social and political elements of Weimar culture. The students researched in the archives and reprinted posters to put on a reconstructed a Litfaßsäule (advertising column), or presented a visual diagram of the results of the 1919 election in Bayreuth, and a diagram of the powers of the president of Bavaria. All this offers material for reflection to the larger public as one cannot help but noticing parallels and similarities with the present, making the exhibition dramatically pertinent not only in Europe but also in America. 

I feel lucky and grateful to be here to witness and learn from such resourceful actions. ‘Regional History‘ is more used to engage in public history than other subfields of history, but I think this type of event is a great way to hit two birds with the same proverbial stone: to provide outstanding education and teaching, and to contribute to society. Even a third one: demonstrate in practice the relevance of universities and the humanities through partnerships and direct contact with local institutions, communities, and citizens.

🔗 

https://www.historisches-museum-bayreuth.de/ausstellungen/sonderausstellung