The upcoming exhibition, “Movement and Standstill. The Last Academic Year in the GDR,” offers a glimpse into student life in East Germany prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Hosted by Friedrich Schiller University Jena, it will open on 14 April and be available until 20 May 2025. Historian Prof. Dr Robert Gramsch-Stehfest will discuss the Jena students of 1988-1995 during the opening ceremony, highlighting their resilience during turbulent times.
The exhibition captures everyday life for roughly 5,500 students, marked by political indoctrination, military training, and vibrant social events. “We are showing everyday student life as it was in 1988, completely unaffected by the events to come,” says curator Stefan Gerber. Most students resided in dormitories, while the remaining few were housed in private accommodation or squats.
Notably, peculiarities of university life are showcased, including a panel on the “poison cabinet” of the university library, which contained restricted literature from non-socialist countries alongside Nazi texts. The exhibition also examines scholarship distribution and the limited internationalisation of studies, featuring students from the Soviet Union and Middle Eastern countries, some of whom faced tuition fees in a bid to secure foreign currency.
With 35 informative display boards, the exhibition encourages today’s students to reflect on current educational practices. Stefan Gerber remarks, “We invite students to think about today’s rigidities and stagnation.” This engaging presentation reminds attendees that the quest for a democratically organised university continues. Admission is free, and it takes place at Fürstengraben 1, Jena.
The exhibition at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, “Movement and Standstill. The Last Academic Year in the GDR,” opens on 14 April 2025. It showcases student life in East Germany, featuring 35 display boards and discussions by historians. The event invites current students to assess today’s educational landscape in relation to the past. Admission is free until 20 May 2025.
The exhibition “Movement and Standstill. The Last Academic Year in the GDR” serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities faced by students in East Germany before the Berlin Wall fell. By showcasing their daily lives and institutional quirks, it encourages modern students to reflect on the ongoing necessity for democratic principles in education. With open discussions led by historians, the exhibition promises an educational experience that bridges past and present.
Original Source: www.uni-jena.de
