01.05.2023

Another exhibition of history or

an other exhibition of history?100 years of Goethe University in Frankfurt

Dr. Annabelle Hornung, Goethe Universität Frankfurt

201.05.2023

CONTENT

Jubiläumsteam GU 100

I. HISTORY

II. UNIVERSITY ARCHIV

III. EXHIBITIONa. Ideab. Samplec. Presentation

IV. CONCLUSION

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1914 ff. Founded as a citizens university by

mainly Jewish citizens. Birthplace of the famous Frankfurt

School.

1933ff. Expulsion of Jewish thinkers during the

Nazi era. 1/3 of the academic staff and an

uncountable amount of students were dismissed.

Jubiläumsteam GU 100

HISTORY

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HISTORY

1945 ff. Re-opening the doors of the university return of great minds (e.g. Max

Horkheimer).

1968ff. The university played a major role

in the student protests

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HISTORY

2008ff. First major university to become a

foundation university.

2014 The 100th birthday of Goethe

University. “Science for society” as guiding

principle.

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ARCHIVE Memory and treasure trove of Goethe

University.

Collects legal documents, medals, seals, manuscripts, objects of art, university gowns etc.

Independent department with 5 employees, but also students and volunteers in charge of scientific projects.

1000 requests and 800 visitors per anno.

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EXHIBITION

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EXHIBITION

Historical, but no chronological exhibition.

Past in interplay with present.

Flow of history.

Goethe: “Die Geschichte denkt uns vor” (= History is pre-thinking us/contemporary society)

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EXHIBITION

Highlight sustainable impact in city and society.

Touring exhibition.

100 objects, seemingly trivial and from everyday live.

object story = to uncover the story behind the objects.

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EXHIBITION – examples

1914: Electives affinities

Ballot box founded by theFirst university´s president,Richard Wachsmuth.

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EXHIBITION – examples

1944: Building lot

A stone remained fromGoethe´s birthplace, which was destroyed after aBombing in Frankfurt.

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EXHIBITION – examples

1949/50: Armamentarium

Equipment of BarbaraWalther for her studies – butwriting paper is missing.

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EXHIBITION

Wild things.

Everyday and strange objects.

After the presentation they will become artifacts/ museum objects.

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EXHIBITION

Special exhibition design.

Time capsules.

At eye-level, in white space, mystified, taken out of chronology.

Re-auratization.

Idea of an ark.

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CONCLUSION

100 objects as signs of history and time.

But with the special design, which is taking them out of time, it is not another chronological exhibition.

It is an other form of historical exhibition and an other idea of material culture.

It writes an other cultural and social history of Goethe University.

01.05.2023

Dr. Annabelle Hornung Project Manager „100 years of Goethe University“

hornung@pvw.uni-frankfurt.de

www.goethe-universität.de/gu100

@GoetheUni100

Thank you!