by Liz Bodenman ‘20

Deciding to live in a WG (Wohngemeinschaft) was one of the best decisions I’ve made during my study abroad experience in Bremen thus far, if not THE best. There are several reasons I’ll urge you to find a WG in place of living in the Studentenwohnheime that Dickinson guarantees, but here are the main three:

1. Community

Upon my arrival in Bremen I was tired, confused, and nervous to begin my new life. But all those feelings vanished when I first walked through the door of my WG, greeted with a hug and a ‘Willkommen zu Hause’ from my new flat mates. Since that first day, the two young women and three young men who live with me have been nothing but helpful, supportive, and uplifting. They make coming back to the WG feel like coming home. You won’t be able to find this living alone in the Studentenwohnheim.

2. Language Practice & Utilization

The five other young people I live with are German and have agreed with speak only German with me in order to help enhance my skills. Though sometimes it is difficult to wake up at 6am and speak auf Deutsch with whomever I encounter in the kitchen, it has really pushed me to improve my language skills. I highly recommend when searching for a WG, you try to live with Germans who are willing to help you with your speaking skills.

3. Location

My WG is located in the Neustadt, an up-and-coming part of Bremen full of students, immigrants and young families who make it a vibrant, yet homey place to live. I am an easy bike ride away from the Altstadt, Hauptbahnhof, Viertel, and the Weser. While Horn, the area in which the Studentenwohnheime are located, is nice, it doesn’t begin to compare to other parts of Bremen such as Neustadt.

Now that I have convinced you that WG life is the way to go in Bremen, here are the best places to find a WG:

• contact Dickinson OSAs from Bremen for personal references and advice
• https://schwarzesbrett.bremen.de/
• https://www.wg-gesucht.de/wg-zimmer-in-Bremen.17.0.1.0.html

Viel Erfolg und viel Spaß!

Stasi

by Sandi Kadric ‘20

We visited the Stasi Museum and prison. We learned about the operations of Stasi, and how involved they were in East and somewhat West Germany. In the museum, we saw how many files they had for each individual, e.g. what they bought, where they lived, where they worked, what facial features they had, etc. We looked at the technology they used to spy on others and how outdated it seems today. Our tour guide also explained how Stasi members were trained, and how they would spy on people such as going into their apartments when the family was away. The tour guide did a great job of explaining how big of an influence the Stasi was, and how much bigger they were than other organizations such as the Gestapo. We also visited a Stasi prison and the tour guide was falsely imprisoned. He showed us all the prison rooms and he shared his experiences. He explained the circumstances and situations in the prison really well, such as sanitary conditions, the mental, physical, and emotional abuse.  The tour guide shared his own experience of how he was captured, and how it was a struggle to have a normal life after being in prison for so long when he was finally released.

B.K. and Christa Tragelehn

by Liz Bodenman ‘20

After a few days in Berlin learning about the living conditions in East Germany, on Saturday, January 13^th, we had the pleasure of meeting a man and his wife who had, as I like to put it, lived the full East German experience. They had lived not only through the everyday difficulties in the GDR, but through the specialized difficulties of being at the center of a theater scandal. Theater Director, author, and translator B.K. Tragelehn, an older, kind-eyed gentleman who enjoys stroking his cat and smoking cigars, welcomed us into his warm and cozy apartment for a chat and “Kaffee und Kuchen.” As we entered, his wife began serving us immediately, being the perfect hostess, and letting us gawk at the 18,000 books that covered their walls.

Christa & B.K. Tragelehn (middle) with group (Mary, Dr. Ludwig, Liz, Sandi, Dr. Falk Strehlow)

Gently puffing away at his cigar, Herr Tragelehn recounted the pinnacles of his life. Being a child in Dresden whose family was subjected to the WWII bombings (firestorm). Befriending and working alongside famous playwrights Bertolt Brecht, Erich Engel, and Heiner Müller. Meeting his wife for the first time (who he has been with for over fifty-five years). And perhaps most fascinating, being sentenced to work in the coal mines after directing the

B.K. Tragelehn with Liz

GDR-critical play Die Umsiedlerin in 1961. His wife chipped into the story too, explaining how difficult it was to live on little money, trying to make ends meet while her husband toiled in the mines.

Visiting the Tragelehns was my favorite part of Dickinson in Bremen’s Berlin excursion. It was truly awesome to meet such kind Berliners who were willing to give us a glimpse into the East German world. It was a very valuable, memorable experience.

Mary, Dr. Ludwig, Liz, Sandi (from left) at the German Historical Museum

When I first enrolled into the course, I was skeptical at what we would be discussing, because as an American raised in the 21^st century, I’ve never had to think much about Germans in the context of American culture. I appreciated the way this course was able to go through every major era in U.S. history, speaking about the German presence in each. I also enjoyed hearing more about the German perspective on America (as I’ve never really thought before what Germans think of us… I had no idea how Americanized Germany is, but it makes sense considering the U.S. occupied Germany for many years). It was nerve-racking to complete a 15-minute presentation ‘auf Deutsch,’ but I’m grateful I was able to get some practice before completing presentations in other classes. Overall, I feel like a I learned a lot from the course and enjoyed it very much. >Liz Bodenman<

I really enjoyed the course “Kultur heißt vergleichen: USA / Deutschland.” It was very challenging for me to read long texts in German, but it improved my knowledge of the language greatly. Overall, I learned a lot in this course, and I especially enjoyed studying German-American migration patterns. The trip to Bremerhaven was helpful and informative. I also enjoyed learning about the impact of American and Western culture in the GDR. >Malou Planchard<

I really liked the seminar because I learned a lot about the relationship between Germany and the US that I didn’t know before. It was great to learn about this changing relationship over the course of history and how its developments have influenced our thinking today. Moreover, we had a lot of interesting discussions which were very informative and a great place for exchange of ideas and opinions especially since all the attendees were from different countries. >Isabell Hamm<

I thought the course was really insightful for the relationship between the US and Germany. I liked that we started in the 19^th century because most people often start with World War I and omit the immigration influx. Also, I liked looking through the lens of pop culture throughout the 20^th century because in America, we only focus on the political tensions. It was unique to also read it from a German perspective of how they viewed cultural traits and where did they come. I thought the discussions went well as we had good debates, and Dr. Ludwig furthered the discussion. >Sandi Kadric<

Roaring Twenties

I enjoyed learning about the stereotypes both America and Germany have formed on one another. I also enjoyed learning about how German people emigrated to America in search of “The American Dream” as I think that this mentality was still as prominent in recent years as it was over 200 years ago. However, my favorite part of the seminar was discussing more recent historical aspects (1920’s-present). Anti-war protests, “the roaring twenties” and women’s rights movements particularly interested me. I also enjoyed learning about Iraq and Palestine and perhaps how the media influences a great deal of what we view on television/in the media. Finally, it was great learning a different approach on how to read articles/pieces of writing. I now know the importance in not believing everything I read as there are many factors to take into consideration such as the writers’ viewpoint/sources which influence what we read. >Amy Hughes<

What interested me the most about this seminar was the content specifically. There was a lot of material and texts given for the students to learn, in more detail, about the topics discussed. This was extremely helpful in understanding each topic every week. Personally, I found the topic I done my presentation on the most intriguing because of how much more I learned by all my research in order to understand as much as I could for my presentation. Overall, I learned an unbelievable amount of content about each topic which in turn, made me very interested in this module. I enjoyed this seminar immensely throughout the semester. >Lisa Doyle<

by Sandi Kadric ’20

Every Tuesday at 3pm, a group of Dickinson students visited the retirement home in Bremen to talk to four over 90-year-old women. The women came from different areas in Germany such as Bremen, Berlin, a town in now present-day Poland, and a town in the vicinity of Dresden. They talk about their times growing up in the Nazi regime, running from the Russian soldiers, or any consequences that resulted from the second World War. They are not afraid to give insight on personal, tragic stories as they are instantly comfortable with sharing with you since you walk in the door. However, the content is not always heavy as sometimes they fast forward to present day and talk about their families, pets, cooking, etc. The environment is always open and friendly as we always treat ourselves to coffee and cookies.

The women are still mentally sharp for the hour and a half, sometimes two-hour meetings. They want to get to know us well, so it leads to free-flowing conversations. Sometimes it is difficult to understand their German by not knowing some of the words; however, there is a worker that accompanies us who helps us understand the content and is able to translate us in English if ever needed. Speaking to these women gave an insight into the German identity, and it always put a smile on their faces as well as the Dickinson students.

In February/March, 2019, we went to Vienna again for a one-week trip. Please read about a few of the highlights:

The Schönbrunn Palace would be the most impressive part of the Vienna excursion. As an image of the Habsburg rule, the palace manifests its presence in its sheer size and beauty. Schönbrunn not only introduces visitors into the lifestyles of the old monarchs with fascinating details, but it also lectures them on aesthetics and culture. Indeed, the palace itself is such an visual reward that impressed me with murals and rococo designs. To a certain extent, they divert your attention from learning the influences of Maria Theresia and the other Habsburgs. Schönbrunn is an unquestionable landmark of Vienna that demonstrates a glorious and glamorous part of Austrian history. I would suggest that the palace serves the sole purpose of impressing and exciting visitors, to bedazzle them. It somewhat creates a seemingly beautiful mirage of the royal life that is too good to be true. >Jack Xia ’20<

Wiener Burgtehater: Settling into my seat in the 4^th row of the gallery, the packed theater is buzzing with chatter. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the other half of our Dickinson group a few rows away and we wave excitedly at each other. The lights dim, and the chatter dies down to a murmur, then silence. The play starts. The story revolves around a famous actor, Hendrik Höfgen, who flees to Paris when the Nazi party rises to power. He is persuaded to return to Germany to continue his acting career. Eventually, he is casted as a main character (Mephisto) in the famous play Faust but struggles with accepting a career that’s backed by a Nazi general. Or at least that’s what I understood. In all honesty, I didn’t quite understand 100% of the play, but it was so much fun to watch. Maybe it was because it was my first play, but I thought the staging and effects were so cool and creative. There were huge panels that were moved around, the whole stage revolved, a singing lady descended from the ceiling on a silver hula hoop, latex skin was peeled off, and there was a giant treadmill involved. During intermission we would burst into “What just happened?” and “Wait, but I thought…” We even talked to some Viennese students that were sitting near us, who were happy to take part in our efforts to understand the play. All in all, we didn’t understand everything, but we enjoyed the play very much and we left happy, having experienced some true Viennese Hochkultur. >Karen Hoang ’20<

The crown of the Holy Roman Empire

On the 28th of February, we had the opportunity to go to the Schatzkammer in Vienna. This Treasury was historically a vault in which the von Habsburg family stored valuable objects like jewels, crowns, and clothing, but also important documents like treaties. The Habsburgs exercised control over large swathes of land throughout the medieval and modern periods, at times controlling Hungary, Czechia, Spain, and modern-day Benelux States and Netherlands. As such, the Schatzkammer was full of artifacts of great historical significance. For example, the crown of the Holy Roman Empire, which the Habsburg line held for almost 500 years, was on display towards the end of our tour. Another interesting sight was a “unicorn horn,” in fact the horn of a narwhal, which purportedly had the ability to act as a universal antidote to poison. Aside from that there were many intricate works of weaving and metal working, including the robes worn by the Kaiser of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Holy Roman Emperor, and the King of Hungary. One thing that I also found particularly fascinating was the large collection of religious relics in the Schatzkammer, owing the powerful bond between the Habsburg line and the Catholic church. Among these is a piece of wood with a nail hole that supposedly comes from the cross upon which Jesus was crucified, a tooth from both John the Baptist and St. Peter, and a piece of the tablecloth from the Last Supper. For people interested in history or in religion, the Schatzkammer is a place one should not miss. >Corson Ellis ’20<

Garbage incinerator, beautified by Hundertwasser

The Dickinson trip to Vienna, Austria, was amazing. Vienna is so beautiful and filled with History; there wasn’t a day that I didn’t learn or experience something new. One of my favorite activities our group did during this excursion was the Hundertwasser tour and museum. Vienna is filled with art and cultural museums, but Hundertwasser was something I hadn’t seen before. This art installation from Friedensreich Hundertwasser is filled with his paintings, sculpture, and unique artistic style. One of Hundertwasser’s trademarks was not using any straight lines. This was incorporated in all of his work, but it was also incorporated into the Hundertwasserhaus itself, which I found interesting. My favorite part of the architecture was the floors because unlike most art museums, these floors are slanted and uneven, which adds so much to the experience. Not only is the artwork itself brightly colored and whimsical, but the entire atmosphere of the building is eccentric and welcoming. The walking tour was also exciting because we got to see other architecture designed by Hundertwasser and learned about his history and the history behind Hundertwasserhaus. >Megan Kropf ’20<

During the Vienna excursion, we took a one-hour train ride to Bratislava.  We went to this café called UFO because it is shaped like a UFO and it is one of the highest points in the city.  The café is high enough for you to see Austria and Hungary in the distance while on the other side, you can witness the whole landscape of the city.  We took a tour around Bratislava since it is not that big of a city.  On the way through the city, the tour guide shared interesting facts of the Bratislava and Slovakia such as around 50% of the nation’s economy depends on the car industry, and despite Slovakia being a relatively poor country, it is quite expensive to own a home in Bratislava.  We saw the main sites of Bratislava such as the Bratislavaer Burg (Bratislava Castle), Cathedral St. Martin, the Old Town Hall, the parliament’s palace, Michaelertor, and the Blue Church.  The tour guide connected the Bratislavaer Burg back to the history of the Hapsburgs, and why it was built and symbolized.  After the approximately three-hour tour, we had the whole day to make our own memories and be independent throughout the Slavic city. >Sandi Kadric ’20<

In sum: In Vienna, we learned a lot about the history of Austria and by extension Germany. I never knew much about the history of Austria, so I found the tours and museums very interesting. My favorite part of the trip was learning about the Hapsburg dynasty, and visiting the castles which they lived in. I also enjoyed visiting Vienna’s many churches. One of my other favorite parts of the trip was the day in Bratislava. I knew basically nothing about Bratislava and Slovakia, and I enjoyed learning about the city and its history. >James Moore ’20<

by Liz Bodenman ’20

In the first semester of my time at Uni Bremen, I had the privilege of utilizing funds granted to me through the Dickinson German department’s Kurth-Voigt Research Prize. Securing the grant required me to formulate a viable research question and plan with which to explore possible answers. My question, though still unanswered, pertains to the vegan and vegetarian movements in Bremen and Germany as a whole. How are these two movements so successful in a country that hails meat and dairy in nearly all its traditional cuisines? Though I was not going to get a satisfying answer during the few months I lived in Bremen, I was able to expand my mind through attending two exciting events, funded by Kurth-Voigt.

My start-up workshop. Photo creds to Momentum Novum (the runner of the conference)

First I was able to participate in a three day sustainability conference in Heidelberg, where I attended several different workshops pertaining to food consciousness and the environment, where themes on vegan/vegetarianism echoed throughout. During the conference every participant took part in one block workshop where they worked in groups to formulate a project. My block workshop pertained to the world of ‘start-ups,’ taking us through all the steps necessary to have a successful start-up, then having us present a start-up of our own creation at the closing ceremony. The conference was very international, but getting the German perspective on sustainability proved invaluable for the ways in which I would view German vegan and vegetarian organizations/companies. Then to get an idea of which companies and organizations existed in Germany, I did a bit of digging and found another event useful in exploring my question.

On the way to the Veggienale Fair in Frankfurt

This next event was a day-long ‘Vegginale: Ecological Fair’ in Frankfurt. These Vegginale Fairs are held throughout the year in the major cities across Germany, featuring different national and international organizations and companies relating to sustainability. There is a specific emphasis on veganism and animal rights at these conferences, as vegan/vegetarian activists typically go hand-in-hand with purely environmental activists. Stands were occupied by everything from clean energy firms to a couple selling their homemade vegan honey. The diversity of the content at Veggienale was a good representation of how many ways Germans choose to express care for sustainability and equal rights for all beings.

If I had decided to continue my research project and use the remainder of my grant funds, I could have gone on a few more trips in which to learn about and observe the vegan/vegetarian movements in Germany. My curiosity on the topic remains open, and I plan on exploring it to some extent during my final two years at Dickinson. The Kurth-Voigt is a wonderful opportunity for Dickinson students of German who are curious about an aspect of German life, society or culture and wish to explore it further.

Along with many other changes you face when you study abroad, food is something that you have to consider when moving to a completely new country. At Dickinson, we have many different on-campus food options that are included in our meal plan and most of them are open all day, every day. It is not difficult at all to find prepared meals that are basically already paid for with swipes or flex points. At Uni Bremen, however, we have the Mensa, or main cafeteria, (in addition to some smaller on-campus cafes) that offers lunch from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm Monday-Friday and there is no pre-paid swipe system like Dickinson’s meal plans. So what do you do for breakfast, dinner, and weekend meals? You cook! It depends on the person, but some students prefer to cook most of their meals, while others enjoy cooking some and eating out at restaurants for others. But while it’s nice to go to restaurants and eat delicious German food, it’s not exactly realistic to rely on that for every meal.

Luckily, Dickinson arranged a cooking workshop where we learned how to cook easy and cheap, yet healthy recipes. Together we made smoothies, pasta salads, chicken curry, and quinoa dishes. I personally love cooking and trying out new recipes, so this workshop gave me new ideas of dishes to prepare. It was also helpful to talk about shopping for ingredients and how to get the most out of your groceries. Produce and fresh food is relatively inexpensive in Germany and it’s easy to make meals using organic fruits and vegetables. In addition to learning how to cook in Germany during this workshop, we all had a great time cooking and eating together!

by Megan Kropf ’20

by James Moore ’20

All of the students in the Dickinson in Bremen program decided, in February, to run a 5k. It was on a Friday in mid-May at around 8:30 pm, starting at the town square. It was not raining, which was surprising considering the run was in Bremen. None of us had done any real training for the run, so everyone was a little nervous of how it was going to go. By the end though, I thought it was a success. The route the 5k took was through the city, and it was very nice to run across bridges and other areas of the city around the river where I hadn’t been before. When we finished the run, we were given a free alcohol-free beer, some pretzels, and some water (and also a free T-shirt and string bag) by the organizers of this public event. I thought it was a fun experience, and a good way to see more of the city.

Congratulations to our “internal DiB winner” Jack!

by Sandi Kadric ’20

I did a an internship at for the last 2 weeks in March and every Friday from April to July. I shadowed a nurse anesthesiologist. They are very nice, and they are very helpful in explaining procedures during surgeries. I had the chance to prepare the patient before surgery such as setting up the medications, blood pressure, EKG, and IV bag. I actually had patient contact and interaction which is difficult to do in America especially in a hospital setting. Everyone spoke ONLY German with me (except for a couple of words here and there), and yes, I had to ask questions to the patients, and it helped me to learn to be confident.

I learned different methods of certain surgeries. For example, patients lose more blood during knee replacement surgeries than in America. I had the option to choose what surgeries to watch, so I saw a variety of surgeries such as spine surgery, joint replacements, general surgeries, etc. I learned the differences between the German health care system and American health care system, and I would recommend anyone who is pre-med to do this internship because – aside from learning so much – you can receive a letter at the end and put it on your medical school application. It will help you look diverse and stand out from other applicants.

by Liz Bodenman ’20

Over the course of the Spring Semester, I had the pleasure of participating in an Urban Gardening course called “Projekt Seminar Wollepark,” in which students would travel to the nearby town of Delmenhorst once a week and participate in a project to help improve the conditions of the public park. 20 students in total, we were expected in break up into groups and come up with projects according to our interests. My group was interested in the perception of Garden Culture, and what certain people idealize when imagining their perfect garden. The idea behind this was to go to Delmenhorst and ask its residents (who are a very diverse group of immigrants and refugees) to draw what they pictured the perfect garden to be. Every week for 12 weeks we would go and ask different people to draw for us; the end result was a published photo book containing pictures of the drawings and participants, as well as a summary of our findings.

I enjoyed this course because it was a break from the normal university curriculum and offered an opportunity that Dickinson does not offer. I was able to go out into a community I was unfamiliar with, practice my German, and befriend other “Ausländer” like myself who were starting a new life here. It was also very interesting to learn about permaculture, building structures to attract certain insects desirable for the garden in the town center that the class helped maintain, and develop a basic understanding of urban planning. In the future, I highly recommend students take this course if it is added again. Otherwise, for those with an interest in gardening, urban planning, or simply volunteering with children and the elderly, take the 10-minute train to Delmenhorst and stop by the Nachbarschaftszentrum Wollepark. You will surely be welcomed with open arms. Wollepark Website: http://www.wollepark.de/

by Dr. Janine Ludwig

On May 19, 2019, we had the great pleasure to visit Dr. Rudolf Seiters who had been the Federal Minister for Special Affairs and Head of the Office of the German Chancellery of the FRG under Helmut Kohl from April 1989 to November 1991. In this position, he successfully negotiated with the GDR government under Erich Honecker the passage of the East German refugees in the West German embassy in Prague to the Federal Republic of Germany in September 1989. He was responsible for diplomatic relations with several East German governments during the 1989 revolution (Honecker, Egon Krenz, Dr. Hans Modrow) and later involved in negotiating the contract for German Unity.Thus, he was able tell our students about the events of 1989/90 from the deepest political insight in highest positions at the time. He is a wonderful person who did so in a charming way. For instance, he described how he took over his position and all the files from Wolfgang Schäuble in April 1989, being alerted about the most pressing issues – of which the GDR was none. Nobody knew what was coming and how drastically things would change just a few months later. He also told the anecdote how an employee asked him on the afternoon of November 9 whether he could leave early for his child’s birthday. He said, “sure, nothing much will happen today anymore.” What an error of judgement: That night, the Berlin Wall fell. His honest and entertaining way of explaining political work from the inside perspective was most intriguing to our students – some of whom had already met Modrow in Berlin and could now hear about the same political events from the other side.

In 1991, Seiters became Minister of the Interior, a position from which he had to step back in 1993 due to the shooting of the RAF terrorist Wolfgang Grams in Bad Kleinen, although it was widely agreed that he had not done anything wrong. From 1998–2002, Seiters was Vice President of the German Bundestag and until 2017 President of the German Red Cross.

It was a wonderful opportunity for us and very kind that Dr. Seiters and his wife, despite busy calendars, hosted us in their house in Papenburg, a small town roughly two hours away from Bremen. After that meeting, we visited the “Van Velen Complex,” a settlement of mostly tiny houses and cots from the 17^th century – in a town that was built on dried marshland.

Please find a video in German here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jeh_gdDtF6I

After that, some of us went to see our beloved soccer team Werder Bremen who happened to play a friendly match that day against SC Blau-Weiß 94 Papenburg – on a small playing field that allowed us to see the likes of Claudio Pizarro, Max Kruse, and Josh Sargent from close up.

We also made a short video of a corner kick:

“Germany’s Role in Defending Europe and the Emergence of a New European Security Architecture” with Prof. Andrew T. Wolff

Andy Wolff (l.) and Rick Yoneoka (r.)

On June 5, 2019, Andy Wolff, Dickinson Political Science Professor and Resident Director of the European Studies Program in Bologna, Italy, gave the fifth Dickinson College Public Lecture at the tower hall of the Bremen cotton stock exchange (Bremer Baumwollbörse) to a crowd of Bremen citizens. His lecture was preceeded by star guest Richard Yoneoka, U.S. Consul General in Hamburg, and the discussion was moderated by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Franke, member of the Institute for Intercultural and International Studies at Uni Bremen. This was the premise of his talk:

“The Transatlantic approach to providing security for Europe, i.e. American involvement through NATO and deepening European integration is being challenged internally and externally. The United States has become hesitant to lead NATO, Russia is an assertive and revanchist power, and the European Union is in danger of fragmenting. How does Germany fit into this new security environment? What policy choices does Germany have for the construction of a new European security architecture? As Europe’s politics and security become more unstable, Germany must make difficult decisions that will impact the future of Europe and the transatlantic alliance.” 5th DCPL 2019 Flyer

Angie Harris (left) with students

The DCPL is organized by Dr. Janine Ludwig, Academic Director of the William G. and Elke Durden Dickinson Bremen Program, and Neil van Siclen, President of the Carl Schurz German-American Club, Bremen. A reception with refreshments was held after the lecture at which our Dickinson students helped to serve the guests and engaged in discussions themselves. Also present was Angie Harris, Associate Dean of Students, who visited the program. Please find more fotos here:

Moderator Anneke ter Veen, Producer of the TV Talkshow „Budder bei die Fische – Der Ter Veen Talk,“ talking to Consul General of the USA, Richard Yoneoka (in German):

On Aug 3, 2019, in preparation for the new season, our soccer team Werder Bremen played a friendly vs. Premier League’s FC Everton – an unspectatcular 0:0. That meay sound a little lame, but considering the Toffees` team is worth 300 million and our green-white boys just one third of that, it puts things into perspective…

Otto Rehhagel, or, as the Greeks call him: “Rehacles”

The best came after the game anyway: At the Day of the Fans, we saw on stage some Werder legends, such as Per Mertesacker (defender, World Champion 2014), Otto Rehhagel (successful German coach, known for winning the European Cup with Greece in 2004), Thomas Schaaf (long-standing Bremen coach), and strikers Mario Basler, Ailton, Marco Bode, and Claudio Pizarro (who is both a legend and still playing at 41).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgf9ci-tz1Q

Eventually, the team for the coming season presented itself and gave autographs. Our student Sandi, though a devout Schalke fan, was very happy about an autograph and a quick chat with Bremen’s up-and-coming American striker talent Josh Sargent (once the second-best high school soccer player of the US):

by Liam Pauli ’21

In deciding to come to Bremen for the fall semester, I thought a lot about the chance to live in a Wohngemeinschaft (WG), a shared flat with other German students. It was an opportunity that I felt I could not refuse, but I assumed that since I was leaving Germany in January, it would be hard to make that living situation work. It was not until this past June when Ms. Mertz, our Dickinson-in-Bremen program coordinator, emailed us recommending that we try to live in a WG. I thought it would be a good idea, so I pursued it.

From the links she provided us (here below), I chose to apply through wg-gesucht.de. From approximately 15 WG applications, I got six replies, with one being my final choice. And it was probably the best decision I have made in Bremen so far. My WG is near the University of Bremen in the Studentenwohnheim on Vorstraße, which is a great location to commute from by bike to the university (and my bike was left to me by the former occupant of my room). The guy who used to live in my room is studying abroad as well, which made it very easy for me to live in his room while he is away (these types of rooms are called “zur Zwischenmiete”). The 6 tram line is a 5 minute walk from my WG, which gets me directly downtown in approximately 15 minutes.

I have five flatmates, four of which are German, and they speak German with me every day and correct me when needed. It’s great to have other people around too, but it’s also really nice to have my own furnished (möbliert) room and space. Our WG gets along really well and we have a chore list that we rotate through each week. Every week on Sundays, a different person cooks for everyone to have a Sunday “family” dinner. WG life really gets you immersed in the German culture by seeing how Germans, and specifically German students, live, eat, speak, and go about their daily lives. I would highly recommend living in a WG to anyone considering living in one.

https://www.wg-gesucht.de/wg-zimmer-in-Bremen.17.0.1.0.html

https://www.studenten-wg.de/angebote_lesen.html?detailsuche=aus&stadt=Bremen&fuer=Zimmer+in+WG

http://bremen.homecompany.de/

http://www.bremer-oekumenisches-wohnheim.de/de/kontakt/

http://schwarzesbrett.bremen.de/verkauf-angebote/rubrik/wohngemeinschaftsangebote-verkauf.html

http://twentyfirst.apartments/en/twenty-first-bremen-2/

https://www.stw-bremen.de/de/wohnanlagen-bremen/wohnanlage-horn-lehe (scroll to the end to find free rooms)

https://www.stw-bremen.de/de/wohnanlagen-bremen/wohnanlage-weidedamm (scroll to the end to find free rooms)

https://www.stw-bremen.de/de/wohnanlagen-bremen/wohnpark-am-fleetspittaler-stra%C3%9Fe (scroll to the end to find free rooms)

https://www.stw-bremen.de/de/wohnanlagen-bremen/wohnpark-am-fleetvorstra%C3%9Fe (scroll to the end to find free rooms)

https://www.stw-bremen.de/de/wohnanlagen-bremen/wohnpark-luisental-28-29 (scroll to the end to find free rooms)”

by Zoey Tu ‘21

On November 13, a film event was held by the Durden Dickinson Program in Bremen, at the suggestion of the U.S. Consulate General Hamburg. It was also a featured event for all students who take German 340 “Comparative Cultures: USA-Germany.” In addition to the required reading materials in class, which mainly focused on political issues, the film offered a distinctive perspective of the American cultural influence in the communist world from the 1950s to the 1990s – how soft power played a significant role during the Cold War.

Doug Yeager, the producer of this documentary film, attended the event and was interviewed after the film by Dr. Janine Ludwig, Academic Director of our program. Yeager gave insights about his motivation for making this documentary and emphasized again the huge but unconscious power of music as well as other kinds of popular culture. He talked about the twelve-year process for the team to complete this documentary, which includes interviews with Jimmy Carter, the former president of the United States, and Mikhail Gorbachev, former leader of the Soviet Union, who both realized the significant role of rock bands in the USSR and recognized the idea of freedom behind this specific music genre.

The 60-minute film introduced how rock music influenced the young generations in East Germany and the Soviet Union, explained how it was banned in the socialist world, and how it contributed to the collapse of the Iron Curtain. When rock music first came to the socialist world, it won great popularity among the youth. It awoke and inspired the young generations to demand the right to listen and play the music they loved and the right to express themselves freely. However, the idea of rock music – freedom and rebellion – was against the authoritarian governance of the Soviet Union.

It was a battle between two different ideologies: Democracy and Commu-nism. The US government hoped that rock music could be used as a certain means of propaganda. Looking at the results, this type of cultural propaganda was effective. The dissatisfaction among the Soviet public due to the censorship of rock music eventually led to movements as well as riots between the youth and the police, urging for freedom of expression. The idea of freedom, represented by rock music, also widely spread to the Baltic countries, since they demanded independence from Soviet control as well.

All pictures: © Calvin Wirfel

Compared to other factors, the soft power of pop culture has been less discussed in public discourse when analyzing the causes of the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, it is an area that is worth further research. Therefore, the influence of US pop culture is included in the syllabus of the German 340 class, taught by Dr. Ludwig, and will be discussed further. Moreover, besides the required readings and the class discussion, the film is also a good supplement for the students to gain a better understanding of different cultural influences.

Please hear a sound bite here:

Please find the link to the movie presentation here: https://www.freetorockmovie.com/

and the poster here: Poster Free2Rock Bremen rev.0

A cooperation between the William G. and Elke Durden Dickinson Bremen Program, U.S. Consulate General Hamburg (specifically Dr. Susanne Wiedemann, Cultural Affairs Assistant), Carl Schurz German-American Club (specifically Ulf-Brün Drechsel, Vice President), the University of Bremen, especially the department English Speaking Cultures (specifically Dr. Karin Esders-Angermund), and the Institute for Cultural German Studies (ifkud).

by Jack Xia ’20

This is a verdict from a person who grew up in Beijing, a city of 20 million people. It is a recollection of my exchange semester at Bremen. To summarize, I want to show you how Bremen blossoms in different seasons. As the Germans say, there is no wrong weather, you’re wearing the wrong cloth.

Bremen was in its February winter when I arrived. The gloomy days and rainy weather definitely affected me in the early days. But I soon adapted after restocking my wardrobe with some wind breakers and rain proof jackets. I learned to compensate the rain with warm coffee or hot soup. Also, the weather makes studying inside GW2 and the Dickinson room more enjoyable because I appreciated the serenity much more. The mist and drizzle on the stone roads by the Roland statue add to Bremen’s charm as a romantic, fairy-tale city. The winter days passes slowly but surely. I noticed the sun sets at a later time too. Eventually the weather was warm enough that the flowers blossomed at the Botanika. I could walk to Rewe instead of biking. At one time, I woke up overheated because there was no air conditioning. In contrast to the weather, I had a much more predictable and reliable bike.

The relationship between my bike and myself would be best characterized as one of companionship. Our short but nonetheless unforgettable journey is one of love and pure enjoyment. And I have nothing but appreciation for it. My bike in the special army green livery has been more than forgiving. When I rode it back on a cold February day, it had a subtle presence of reliability and perseverance. Indeed, these are rare adjectives to be used for something as simple as a bicycle. But riding on that bike gave me a feeling of confidence and pureness, and I would trust it as a war horse. It’s that feeling when you get a used baseball glove or a pair of hockey skates from your dad or uncle; it wants you to use it, instead of treating it like a garage queen. Perhaps because of this sense of dependability, I decided to use my bike to its full potential. I had it serviced three times for tire and light change. Swapfiets is the Dutch company that I’ve rented my bike from for fifteen euros per month. It promotes the Danish love of bicycling
through providing rental service in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Denmark. To standout and to relate to its Danish origin, Swapfiets’ bikes can be easily distinguished by the iconic front blue tire and the Dutch style bucket support on the front wheel. The word “Fiets” in Dutch means bicycle, which also rhymes with the English word “feet”. This self-explanatory name invites people to substitute their foot with bikes from the bike company.

In my humble opinion, biking in Bremen has been very enjoyable because of the relatively small size of the city. Tram 4 and 6 are the two trams that’s close to my WG. I follow number 6 to get to the inner city of Bremen and tram 4 to get to my gym. I usually follow the route to Schwachhauser Straße and turn left on Kirchbach Straße and with zigzagging in a community on to Fredrick Straße. My Thai boxing gym is located right by the station “Am Hulsberg”, so I follow this direction at least twice a week to train. At Carabao I became a friend to my trainer Julius, also a Uni Bremen student. We would talk about school, about our plans for future and just about anything and everything while we train. Being away from Germany, the good times of training in both English and German come back to my mind and remind me how Bremen has treated me so well.

Biking becomes even more enjoyable when it is a group activity. Together with Corson, James and Sandi, we explored so many parts of Bremen. We biked from the Osterdeich to the Westliches Hollerland. Eating out was also fun because we biked there together and back. While biking, I’ve learned that Bäckerei Otten has above the standard croissants, Eis Molin has amazing Nutella flavored ice creams and the Dim Sum Haus near the Hbf cures my lust for food from home. Some might expect Bremen to be homogenous in sense of culture. But I strongly disagree. The range of culinary experience one can find is surprising. To name a few, one can find authentic Greek, Turkish, Philipino and Afghani food.

A majority of my experience is closely attached with my bike. I enjoy biking. I enjoy the breeze when I pedal. I enjoy my control of the bike. I am able to capture and remember the neighborhoods, as I bike past the buildings, the bus stops and the ice cream parlors. In the present days when efficiency is so emphasized and applauded for,
to bike is somewhat against this philosophy and to be different. I also ride bicycles in Beijing, but only as a mean of transport. In Bremen, however, biking becomes enjoyable and entertaining. Therefore, I hope to use this blog as a way to reflect and commemorate my six months in Bremen, as my memories are inseparable with my swap Fiets. And I wish to say goodbye and thank you to Bremen from the bottom of my heart. Good morning and good night Bremen, I hope to visit you again very soon.

by Corson, Liz, and James ’20

“The best thing about studying abroad in Bremen is the degree of freedom that one has. The German school system and the Dickinson in Germany program emphasize individual study and initiative, which meant that I was able to study the topics that interested me at a pace and timing that worked for me, allowing me to strike my own balance between work, social life, and travel.” >Corson Ellis<

“With Dickinson in Bremen I realized I was capable of being so much more independent and self-reliant than I previously thought. The program really encourages students to take agency in their abroad experience, as well as exercise their German-language skills to the fullest extent with which they are able.” >Liz Bodenman<

“To sum up my experience in Bremen, I am really glad I went. The Dickinson Program was very well run and helped a lot. I believe that I learned much and it was a very important experience that I will never forget.” >James Moore<

© University of Bremen

International top spot for the University of Bremen in natural sciences – Their scientists are among the best from young universities worldwide. The renowned Nature Index ranks them 18th of 175 universities under the age of 50. The Nature Index 2019 Annual Tables highlights the institutions and countries which dominated research in the natural sciences in 2018. The ranking provides important criteria for benchmarking universities and research facilities, and therefore indicates the international research quality.

“I am delighted that the University of Bremen has achieved such a good ranking worldwide and at the same time holds the top position among the young German universities,” says Professor Bernd Scholz-Reiter, Rector of the University of Bremen. “This shows how strong our scientists are in research.”

Top-quality research output in Earth and environmental sciences 

In the special field Earth and environmental sciences the University of Bremen takes the 3rd place, leading the group of the 14 young universities from Germany. Professor Michael Schulz, director of MARUM – center for Marine and Environmental sciences of the University of Bremen, is pleased by the top spot: “The research with focus on ocean, polar, and climate sciences is top notch in Europe.”

More information under:

https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2019-young-universities/tables/overall

https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2019-young-universities/tables/earth-and-environmental-sciences

https://www.butenunbinnen.de/nachrichten/gesellschaft/ranking-uni-bremen-weltweit-fuehrend-100.html

by Corson Ellis ’21

IHMG conference  © J. Ludwig

From March until August of 2019, I helped the International Heiner Müller Society (IHMG) and Dr. Ludwig, the Academic Director for Dickinson in Bremen, with her work on the role of women in the works of Heiner Müller, a famous East German playwright, poet, essayist, and dramaturge. I attended two conferences (on Heiner Müller, organized by the IHMG, and Bertolt Brecht, organized by the International Brecht Society), helped translation, gathered research materials, digitized documents, and had the opportunity to get an article published in the IBS’s online journal “Communications” (ecibs). It was a formative experience, teaching me about time management, self-discipline, and the amount of work that is required in academia (it was a lot more than I had ever thought). Having already held a job in the US, the internship in Germany showed me in greater detail the difference between German and US work environments.

IHMG Conference, March 2019 © J. Ludwig

Above all else, the conferences left a great impression on me. It helped me realize that even in field of the study of a single east German intellectual, there can be a great variety of perspectives and debate. I saw people who were passionately engaged in debate that remained civil and friendly, while constantly looking at Müller’s or Brecht’s works in a new light. It helped me develop my own ability, especially in an academic context, of looking at concepts or artistic works from multiple perspectives and trying to figure out not just what the author intended, but also how a play about the Haitian revolution can provide an insight into modern politics in the USA.

Prof. Dr. Florian Vaßen, IHMG, in Hannover

Theater play in conjunction with IHMG’s Müller conference in Hannover

IBS Conference in Leipzig, June 2019 © Raffaelle Di Tizio

I spent 6 months in Germany, yet the time flew by, and before I knew it my internship was over, my finals completed, my bank account closed, and my rental bike returned. The time that you have to spend abroad is fleeting, and I encourage everyone to take the risks that I did. Try to get an internship, take a class you might not normally take, go on a Flix bus ride for 20 hours. Dickinson makes sure that you have all of the tools to have a once in a lifetime experience while in Germany, and it is up to you to seize that chance.