As a public cultural foundation, the Francke Foundations offer a wide variety of opportunities to engage with historical topics in a hands-on and preparatory manner.
History lab
Offer for secondary level II
1 location, 4 topics and 300 years of history
We invite secondary school groups or classes to learn about historical research at the Francke Foundations as part of a workshop and take a closer look at it. In the process, students can acquire methodological skills for teaching and studying and gain new perspectives on different professional fields. Experts from academia, archives, libraries and museums are on hand to assist them.
Program
Participants visit the Francke Foundations in Halle (Saale) for 1-3 days and work on a pre-selected thematic focus. Experts will be on hand to offer workshop sessions, guided tours, discussion groups and keynote speeches. Students will learn how to use research tools and original sources correctly, develop questions and work with existing and completely unknown material. Insights into historical auxiliary sciences will facilitate access to this material.
In terms of content, the available workshops cover the areas of intellectual, scientific and cultural history and personal research, as well as a period from the 17th to the 19th century.
One of the following four topics can be selected:
The focus here is on the founder of the Francke Foundations and his memoirs. With the help of various locations on the grounds and original sources, the pupils gather information about Francke as a person. In doing so, they learn about the complexity of researching individuals. The central theme is the culture of remembrance in the 18th and 19th centuries. With the help of a variety of historical written and material sources, the pupils explore the transformation of Francke's memoria, also with regard to the events and developments of the time.
The Francke Foundations are also known as a school town. The founder, August Hermann Francke, fundamentally reformed education in the 17th/18th century. The pupils examine the literal educational architecture of the foundations and Francke's ideas. In order to be able to classify these, they look at the teaching and learning conditions before his time. At the original site, various historical sources such as blueprints and historical furniture are used to elaborate on the profound and precisely planned innovations in education. How Francke's ideas »set a precedent« will also be a topic of discussion.
The achievements of medicine at the end of the 19th century made people's lives much easier and formed the basis for our healthcare system today. But how did the art of healing become a science? In the 18th century, the Francke Foundations created a medical and pharmaceutical infrastructure, initially for practical reasons, which developed into a global trading network. With the help of written and material sources, some of which are unique, we will examine how medical knowledge has changed over time.
The historic Cabinet of Artefacts and Natural Curiosities of the Francke Foundations houses a unique collection of objects from all over the world. Its history, systematics and research are at the heart of the programme. Current issues such as colonialism and provenance research are also discussed. Pupils are encouraged to explore part of the collection themselves in different ways, including using skills newly acquired in the workshop.
process
In Module A, students are introduced to the respective topic and already engage in conversation with the experts. This knowledge is then built upon in the following modules.
Module B introduces the research options available on site and offers space to test the study centre's online resources. At three different stations, students have the opportunity to try out historical auxiliary sciences.
Module C explores the topic in greater depth. Here, students work with sources, conduct research and engage in further discussions with experts. The format is based on the chosen focus.
During the lecture period, the Study Plus module offers the opportunity to attend a third day of a course at the University of Halle in the Early Modern History department, provided that a suitable course is available.
All information on booking, accommodation, meals and the supporting programme can be found in the document in the download area.
