Neuruppin students shine: state winners in the history competition!

Neuruppin students shine: state winners in the history competition!

In an impressive performance, eight twelfth graders from the Neuruppin Evangelical School won the title of state winner in the Federal President's history competition. Her video titled "Limits! Go?" deals in detail with the topic of the construction of the Wall and its fall and shows interviews with grandparents who share their experiences during this eventful time. Loud maz-online.de Jette Pinsetzki's grandmother, who lived on the east side of the Berlin Wall, was interviewed. Simon Spill, a research assistant at the Brandenburg-Preußen Museum, is behind this project and supported the students in their research.

The video, which is over twelve minutes long, will not only be used as a competition entry, but also in the school's history class. The history competition, which has been held by the Körber Foundation since 1973, aims to promote historical awareness among young people. This year there were a total of 74 contributions in Brandenburg and 2,289 across Germany, which is a new record.

A look back at the participants

The Neuruppin Evangelical School has already emerged as state winner four times in the past, but a national victory has so far failed to materialize. The awarding of the state winners will take place at the end of September in Potsdam, while the federal prizes will be awarded on November 11th in Bellevue Palace. Prize money of 500 euros for the state winners is being considered, but how it will be used has not yet been decided.

The topic of the history competition about borders is not only historically important, but also currently important. Steffen Mau, Professor of Macrosociology at the Humboldt University in Berlin, offers a lively example of dealing with borders. He reflects that, despite the perception of border openings due to European integration and globalization, there are more borders worldwide than in 1990. Mau criticizes the increasing number of border closures and emphasizes the need for humane border regulation. “Now more than ever, borders act as sorting machines, allowing or denying access to certain people,” he explains. Mau speaks about the ongoing differences in mentalities and traditions that exist between East and West Germany, as well as the ongoing social inequalities.

Boundaries and their meaning

The question of the role of boundaries in social coexistence remains central. Mau highlights that social boundaries create inequalities by denying certain people access to resources. This is particularly evident among children and young people, who are often confronted with territorial boundaries and unequal treatment, especially when traveling. The history competition strongly encourages us to consider these questions not only historically, but also in the current context.

The discussion of the issue of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which reached its decisive climax on November 9, 1989, remains unforgettable. Historians and contemporary witnesses report on the experiences and the spirit of optimism that was in the air. The dismantling of the border fence between Hungary and Austria in May 1989 was a turning point that set many developments in motion, as well bpb.de documented. An important aspect of this is that the opening of the wall not only overcome physical but also symbolic boundaries and paved the way for a new, shared future.

The history competition and the associated projects are an excellent opportunity to keep historical knowledge alive and to sensitize younger generations to the topics of borders and their effects. While the students in Neuruppin are now reaping the fruits of their work, the memory of the Wall and the challenges associated with it remain alive - for the future and future generations.