NATURE AND GERMAN HISTORY Faith – Biology – Power

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The sixth international symposium in the Historical Judgement series which will take place on Friday, 12 July 2024, will explore the concept and meaning of nature in German history at the intersection of faith, biology, and power.

The symposium spans nine centuries. In three keynote addresses, Annette Kehnel, Jutta Nowosadtko, and Frank Uekötter will provide an overview of humanity’s changing relations with nature in the Middle Ages, the modern period, and the 19th and 20th centuries. Margot E. Fassler will discuss Hildegard of Bingen’s concept of viriditas (the greening power of creation) in the 12th century, Hiram Kümper will describe how nature served as a resource for the Hanseatic League, and Viktoria Urmersbach will examine 18th-century perceptions of the forest. Nils Franke will look at nature and ideology under National Socialism, Tilo Wesche will analyse the dialectic of human relations with nature in the work of Max Horkheimer and Theodor W. Adorno, and Stephen Milder will shed light on the beginnings of the anti-nuclear movement in Germany. Finally, Astrid M. Eckert will discuss the National Park Programme in the final months of the GDR. The panels will be moderated by Birgit Aschmann, Ulinka Rublack and Julia Voss.

Raphael Gross, president of the Stiftung Deutsches Historisches Museum, explains: “At this year’s symposium we intend to explore the multilayered meaning and changing concepts of ‘nature’ from various perspectives. We will also examine nature as a political factor in German history. Who determines and appropriates what is considered nature? How has the understanding of nature changed? What happens when unforeseen events or developments require a political response? We hope that the discussion will not only provide stimulating insights for our exhibition next year, but also offer a historical perspective for ongoing debates.”

The symposium will be accompanied by the sixth issue of the magazine Historical Judgment, titled “Nature and German History” and scheduled for publication on 12 July 2024.

In 2025, the Deutsches Historisches Museum will show the exhibition „Nature and German History. Faith, Biology, Power (WT)“, curated by Julia Voss.

Friday, 12 July 2024, 9 am to 7 pm
NATURE AND GERMAN HISTORY
Faith – Biology – Power
6th international symposium in the “Historical Judgement” series
Venue: Pei Building at the Deutsches Historisches Museum
Conference language: German and English with simultaneous interpreting
Free attendance

Registration at: https://www.dhm.de/en/historicaljudgement/registration/
Detailed program at: https://www.dhm.de/en/programme/conferences/nature-and-german-history/
The symposium will be recorded and made available on the DHM’s YouTube channel.

For interview and filming requests, please contact the press office directly at: presse@dhm.de or 030/20 304 410