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Greifswald fourth grader: History comic takes place in the competition!
Eight elementary school students from Greifswald win the Federal President's history competition with a comic about the Swedish occupation.
Greifswald fourth grader: History comic takes place in the competition!
In Greifswald, eight primary school children from the Käthe Kollwitz primary school implemented a remarkable project: They created a historical comic entitled “Everyone has a limit(s)”. The project leader, Stefanie Bercher, an experienced teacher, wanted to introduce the students to the topic “Swedish occupation of Greifswald 300 years ago”. The plot focuses on seven-year-old Augustin von Balthasar in 1708. This creative approach raises the question of how borders shaped life back then, giving little history fans a completely new perspective on their hometown.
The children spared no effort and carried out extensive research, ranging from interviews to excursions to archive and museum visits. Among the sites visited was a former General Superintendent's residence, once known for its luxury. This commitment helped to make history tangible for primary school children. The Käthe Kollwitz primary school has carried out similar projects in the past and has received several awards for them. For their comic, the students won a prize in this year's Federal Presidential History Competition, in which over 2,200 history projects from Germany took part, 50 of which received awards. Greifswald's students received their certificates by post, while the five best projects were invited to Berlin, where the main prizes will be handed out.
Successful colleagues
The Greifswald group was not alone in this competition. Students from the Dömitz school center “Fritz Reuter” also developed an impressive project on the history of the Dömitz railway bridge. With the support of their teacher Heike Grüter-Hommerich, they explored the connection between the bridge and political developments in Germany and created an exhibition with historical photos and texts. This bridge, which connected the eastern and western banks of the Elbe for 72 years, was destroyed in 1945 and later partially used as a tourist “skywalk”. Her project also won a state prize in the history competition.
There were also other notable projects from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Students from Rostock received recognition for their work on Jewish contemporary witnesses and St. Peter's Church. This shows how creative and committed the country's young people are when it comes to bringing history to life.
A look into the past and the future
A total of 39 applications from 141 participants took part in the competition on the topic “So far and no further!? Borders in history”. Five state and five sponsorship awards were awarded, and the most exciting projects were recognized at an awards ceremony on July 2nd in the Schwerin state parliament. The group prize went to a 13th grade class at the Evangelical Technical School for Social Education in Schwerin for a film about the development of pedagogy in the GDR.
This competition not only offers our young citizens the opportunity to engage with their history, but also the chance to consciously experience the connection between the past and the present. Whether in Greifswald or Dömitz – the best projects from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania could be celebrated at the federal level. Who knows, perhaps we will soon see the creative minds behind these award-winning works again at the award ceremony in Bellevue Palace in Berlin - an encouraging thought that young talents are being supported in this way!