The project explored the period of upheaval in Bavaria following the First World War, financially supported by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) as part of the consortium Conflicts.Meanings.Transitions.

Read more on the exhibition, which will be available as a virtual toor online soon, in a recent article in the Bayreuth university magazine UBT Aktuell.

Der Beitrag ‘From the university to the museum’ (University magazine UBTaktuell) erschien zuerst auf Conflicts.Meanings.Transitions.

The evening began with a lecture by Dr. Alexander Korb from the Memorium Nürnberger Prozesse, in which he presented new perspectives on the study of Bavarian judicial history in the 20th century. In the subsequent discussion, moderated by PD Dr. Julia Eichenberg, the interaction between microhistorical approaches and macrohistorical developments was explored. The conversation highlighted the insights that can be gained from this connection for understanding the early postwar period.

Afterwards, visitors once again had the opportunity to engage in conversation with the students who played a key role in the conception and implementation of the exhibition. In personal guided tours, they provided in-depth insights into the creation, thematic focus, and design decisions behind the exhibition. Already at the opening, the students had presented their work to interested guests and were available for questions and discussions.

For more information on current and upcoming events organized by our network, click here.

Photo credit: Tom Zimmermann / CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Der Beitrag Closing event special exhibition – Leben im Umbruch. Bayern 1918-1925. Zwischen Demokratie, Selbstbestimmung und Gewalt. erschien zuerst auf Conflicts.Meanings.Transitions.

A central part of the event is the unveiling of a new commemorative plaque next to the existing Welser plaque on Annastraße. The new plaque highlights the violence tied to these early colonial ventures: including the enslavement of 4,578 Africans and the killing of thousands of Indigenous people. It offers a much-needed counterpoint to the one-sided glorification of the Welsers’ role in history.

Traces of Colonialism in Augsburg

The day begins with a colonial history walking tour organized by the Werkstatt Solidarische Welt. The tour explores how Augsburg—from Roman times to today’s global consumer society—has repeatedly been embedded in global power and exploitation systems.

Following the tour, artists Magda Agudelo and Adelheid Schulz present their lecture performance “Intersecciones II”at Moritzplatz. This artistic and historical performance reflects on the Welsers’ colonial legacy in Latin America and connects it to contemporary questions of global justice.

Shaping Memory – Toward a Postcolonial City of Peace

The event is part of the project “Struggles over Meaning in the Coloniality of Peace” within the Conflicts.Meanings.Transitions research network. The aim is to promote a critical culture of remembrance that makes colonial entanglements visible and takes historical responsibility seriously.

The event is open to all who are interested in postcolonial perspectives, global justice, and new approaches to collective memory.

Further information about the event can be found here.

Der Beitrag From El Dorado to Augsburg: Making Colonial History Visible erschien zuerst auf Conflicts.Meanings.Transitions.

The exhibition was developed through an interdisciplinary collaboration between history students from the University of Bayreuth and design students from the University of Wuppertal, under the guidance of PD Dr. Julia Eichenberg and Alexander Schwarz (both University of Bayreuth), as well as Tobias Schalk (University of Wuppertal).

At the official opening on 14 March, Martina Ruppert (Director of the Historisches Museum Bayreuth, pictured top-left) and the participating students welcomed the guests. The students also led guided tours through the exhibition and provided insightful explanations.

A special thank you to the numerous lenders who made this exhibition possible with their objects, including: Stadtarchiv Bayreuth, Museum für Militärtradition in Oberfranken, Jüdisches Museum Franken, Alpines Museum München, Staatsarchiv Bamberg, Universitätsbibliotheken Bayreuth & Augsburg, bpk-Bildagentur and Bundesarchiv. A kind thank you also to the BMBF, which supported the exhibition via the research network Conflicts.Meanings.Transitions.

🔎 Visit the exhibition at the Historisches Museum Bayreuth until 1 June 2025!

Der Beitrag Opening of the Special Exhibition “Life in Turmoil: Bavaria 1918–1925” erschien zuerst auf Conflicts.Meanings.Transitions.

Special exhibition | 15.3.-1.6.2025 | Historisches Museum, Kirchplatz 4, Bayreuth

Our research network kindly invites you to the special exhibition “Leben im Umbruch. Bayern 1918 – 1925. Zwischen Demokratie, Selbstbestimmung und Gewalt” at the Historical Museum Bayreuth. The exhibition focuses on the turbulent first years of the Weimar Republic, exploring public debates on the new democratic system in post-World War I Germany. It highlights themes of democracy, emancipation, and violence in Bavaria, showing their continued relevance today, 100 years later.

The exhibition was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) through our research network Conflicts.Meanings.Transitions.

Zur Ausstellung

Der November 1918 ist die Geburtsstunde der ersten deutschen Demokratie – der Weimarer Republik. Vieles verändert sich. Nicht alle sind damit einverstanden.

Das erste Jahr der Republik, 1919, ist besonders geprägt vom Streit über das neue System. Die Menschen gehen für Frieden, Brot und mehr politische Recht mit Erfolg auf die Straße.

Demokratie, Emanzipation und Gewalt prägen die ersten Jahre der Weimarer Republik in Bayern. Die Ausstellung greift diese Schwerpunkte auf und zeigt, wie zentral sie noch heute, 100 Jahre später, sind.

Die Ausstellung wurde erstellt von Studierenden der Facheinheit Geisteswissenschaft der Universität Bayreuth und Studierenden der Abteilung für Mediendesign und Raumgestaltung der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal, betreut von PD Dr. Julia Eichenberg und Alexander Schwarz (Universität Bayreuth) sowie Tobias Schalk (Bergische Universität Wuppertal).

Die Umsetzung wurde ermöglicht durch eine Förderung des Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung im Rahmen des Forschungsverbunds „Bayerisches Zentrum für Friedens- und Konfliktforschung: Deutungskämpfe im Übergang“.

Der Beitrag Exhibition: “Life in upheaval. Bavaria 1918-1925: Between democracy, self-determination and violence” (Bayreuth) erschien zuerst auf Conflicts.Meanings.Transitions.