Humboldt University was founded by the King of Prussia over 200 years ago, originally as Berlin University and then as Royal Friedrich Wilhelm University. Located smack in the middle of the old city, HU has been at the center of wars, revolutions, and counter-revolutions.
On this historical campus walk, we will talk about subversive thinkers from the early years of the university, including Hegel, Heine, Marx, and Engels. During the revolution of 1848, barricades went up around the university, and a parliament met nearby. Later, the German colonial empire trained its personell next door — while W.E.B. Du Bois studied American racism with European thinkers.
During the next revolution, in 1918-19, there was fighting at the gates, and Albert Einstein had to inform his students. „Lecture cancelled due to revolution.“
Just 12 years later, the university was taken over by Nazis who burned books opposite HU‘s entrance. The palatial buildings were destroyed during World War II and rebuilt in the German Democratic Republic. After reunification, a strike atHU in 2002/03 prevented the introduction of tuition fees.
Together with the historian and tour guide Nathaniel Flakin, we will look at revolutionary history at and around
HU. We will look at East German graffiti from 1968 and stained glass windows featuring Lenin, while we talk about revolutionary fighters who roamed these streets, including feminist heroes like Clara Zetkin and Angela Davis. A small donation is welcome but not necessary.
To attend the tour, please write us an email at ria@mail36.net