Cancelled! “Inherit the Truth.” Culture of Remembrance in German-American Encounters with Martin Kaiser, March 3 at 6 PM
IMPORTANT: Event Cancellation
Due to a medical emergency suffered by the speaker, we need to cancel tonight’s event. We apologize for the short notice and the inconvenience.
How do our cultures of remembrance differ and what can Germans and Americans learn from each other? Join us for a presentation with Martin Kaiser, director of the GSI Center for Civic Education, who will share his insights, which were gleaned from his German-American exchange programs and his research.
Recent discourse and controversies in the U.S. and in Germany show that history is present in many aspects of everyday life: Confederate monuments are removed from public places in the U.S., in Germany streets are renamed and memorials displaced to eradicate remnants of its colonial past. Forgotten stories are no longer concealed and new narratives are added. Public debate on racism and political extremism influences the way we address history in both countries. Join us for an enriching presentation and Q&A with Martin Kaiser, the director of the Gustav Stresemann Institute for Civic Education in Bad Bevensen, Germany.
Friday, March 3, 2023
6 PM – 8 PM (Presentation will begin at 6:30 PM EST)
Free, but donations are encouraged.
German-American Heritage Museum
719 6th Street NW
Washington, DC 20001 (Parking is available nearby. Please use this map to find parking options ranging from free to low-cost metered spaces. The nearest Metro station is Gallery Place, a 2-minute walk from our museum).
He will showcase his insights based on four real-life examples, two of which are located in the US and two in Germany:
- The Goodman Schwerner Chaney Monument: The Almost Forgotten Story of a Lynching (Neshoba County, Mississippi)
- Stumbling Stones: The Almost Forgotten Story of Black Nazi Victims (Berlin, off main streets)
- The Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Addressing a Controversial Chapter of American History (Washington D.C.)
- The Holocaust Memorial: Who Remembers Whom in Which Way? (Berlin, downtown near the Brandenburg Gate)
Martin Kaiser received a political science degree from the University of Bonn and a Master’s Degree from the University of Kansas as a Fulbright scholar. In his research and study programs he focuses on democracy education, diversity trainings, culture of remembrance, and antiracist education. For more than 25 years he has been conducting German-American exchange programs. Cooperation partners in the U.S. have been universities and civil society organizations. In numerous publications he combines the reflection of academic discourses with his experience in civic education and international encounters.