Retrospect

Romanian Studies | European Ethnology/Cultural Anthropology:
"1989 revisited" and "We live word-to-word"
6 and 7 Feb 2020

We live word-to-word.Exhibit about Living Together in post-socialist Romania off- and online
We live word-to-word.Exhibit about Living Together in post-socialist Romania off- and online
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen

On Thursday afternoon the presentation of the two projects "1989 revisited" and "We live word-to-word. Exhibit about Living Togehter in post-socialist Romania off- and online" took place over coffee and cake.

The results of the seminar- and online-project "1989 revisited" were presented to the audience by seminar leader Dr. Ira Spieker (Institute fpr Saxon History and Ethnology) as well as by the four attendees Anna Rausch, Laura Rommel, Maxi Fücker and Eva Dieckmann, who all treated one certain aspect of Jena's townscape before, in and after 1989External link.

Subsequently followed the presentation of the cooperation-rpoject between the Romanian Studies and European Ethnology/Cultural Anthropology "We live word-to-word" by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Valeska Bopp-Filimonov and Oliver Wurzbacher. In the evening the exhibition that emerged from the project was opened in the University's Main Building: After a short welcoming address and acknowledgements visitors were able to visitr the exhibition over some wine and pierogie or speak to the developers of the exhibtion and the project "1989 revisited or: The Rare Disciplines' contribution for understanding experiences of turmoil and transformation". Particularly exciting: the exhibition's result were developed by students. They gained all the impressions and interviews during a field trip. Aiming at getting to know more about the living together in multicultural social fabrics the 13 students and three lecturers of the disciplines European Ethnology/Cultural Anthropology and Romanian Studies made contact with Banate Swabians, Transsylvanian Saxons and Chernivtsian Germans of Jewish Belief.

Within the exhibition multimedia-installations are used, especially audio sources, that range from contentually complex interviews over music to street-sounds and give insights into the soundscape of this ethnographical project, as well as photos and film sequences. Not every quote is explained in the exhibition, not every question answered: reality always comes along with a surplus of complexity that's entitled to confuse too. At the same time the project approached deliberately greater groups of themes: That way it's about Nation-Building in countries that are compounded of many minorities; the trauma-routes of "the Germans" in Southeastern Europe in the 20th century from deportation over transmigration and the emigration out of ancestral home regions; and then, within everaday-life, the many "refined distinctions" between social and cultural groups. Beyond that it's important to the Romanian Studies and the European Ethnology/Cultural Anthropology to make the ethnographical work transparent and understable.

Immediately after the exhibition's opening interested people were able to listen and ask Ines Geipel about her latest book "Umkämpfte Zone" (Contested Zone) dealing with the clash of interests in the times of the German Democratic Republic.

On Friday afternoon it was furthermore possible to attend an interactive guided tour through New-Lobeda and take a look "between the façades" of this district which got a close connection of its public reputation and the "year of destiny" 1989.

Last preparations
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Paper in Journal "SÜDOSTEUROPA 67.4, 2019"
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Introducing Words by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Valeska Bopp-Filimonov
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Dr. Ira Spieker (Institute for Saxon History and Ethnology) presenting the project "1989 revisited"
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Anna Rausch treated the topics "Eichplatz", "Old Town of Jena", "JenTower"
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Laura Rommel applied herself to study the district of "New Lobeda" and its public art
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Maxi Fücker focused on the Saalbahnhof of Jena
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Eva Dieckmann examined Jena's Punk Scene
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Exhibitions' Opening and Revival of "We live Word-to-Word" by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Valeska Bopp-Filimonov and Oliver Wurzbacher
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Exhibitions' Opening and Revival of "We live Word-to-Word" by Jun.-Prof. Dr. Valeska Bopp-Filimonov and Oliver Wurzbacher
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Insight into the exhibition
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Insight into the exhibition
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen

Interim Balance: Rare Disciplinces – Strong together!
4 Feb 2020

Rare Disciplines – Strong Together! We draw up an interim balance
Rare Disciplines – Strong Together! We draw up an interim balance
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen

Three months after the Opening of the Rare Discipline Weeks and almost 100 events later, representatives of the Rare Disciplines, the University's Administration and of the Thuringian Higher Education Policy as well as interested guests gathered once again in the Rosensäle to draw up an interim balance:

The start made a section through the series of events that gave exemplary insights into the diversity of the available formats, followd by questioning particular representatives of the involved Rare Disciplines about their impressions of the past weeks: Was the offer of events taken? Where's need for improvement? Did worthwhile synergies develop between different Rare Disciplines? Would some continuation of the Rare Discipline Weeks for better public relation be desirable in the future?

The third item on the agenda was the interview of the University's Administration (University's President Prof. Dr. Walter Rosenthal, Vice-President for Studying and Teaching Prof. Dr. Iris Winkler, the Arts Faculty's Dean Prof. Dr. Tilman Seidensticker, Department Head of Department 1 [Students] Dr. Andrea Stiebritz and the Department Manageress of the University's Communication Katja Bär) as well as the Head of the Department of the Thuringian Ministry for Economy, Science and Digital Society, Peter Gemmecke, conducted by the moderation: Did You find the time Yourself to attend one or another event of the Rare Discipline Weeks? Was the special public appearance of the Rare Disciplines a good thing? Would a stronger support or collaboration, e.g. in respect of outer advertising, be expectable in the future? To what extent needs the concept of the "Rare Disciplines" to be rethought?

The different, personal impressions, experiences and perspectives from all sections of the at the Rare Discipline Weeks involved institutions (administration, organisation, coordination, Rare Disciplines themselves) gave rise to further, animated conversations on fertile ground after completing the event's official part so that as a final outcome the evening can be rated as successful.

Section through the series of events
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Interview with representatives of the Rare Disciplines
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Interview with representatives of the Rare Disciplines
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Interview with representatives of the Rare Disciplines (Ancient Oriental Studies)
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Interview with the University's Administration
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Interview with the University's Administration
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Animated conversation to conclude the evening
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Animated conversations to conclude the evening
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen

Indo-European Studies: Exhibitions' opening "The history of script" & "That's where the dog lies buried – Tracking in the World of Words"
13 Jan 2020

Die Geschichte der Schrift
Die Geschichte der Schrift
Image: Seminar für Indogermanistik/Goldene Zwanziger

On two floors friends of language can get a clue why we write as we write. Chairholder Prof. Dr. Martin Kümmel opened the exhibitions.

Dr. Maria Kozianka (Saxon Academy of Sciences in Leipzig) gave an introducing lecture about dogs, the original meaning of "fitness" and what all this has got to do with dictionaries.

During the next few weeks every Wednesday there will be guided tours and lectures about differen topics all around language.

Dr. Maria Kozianka about "Dictionaries"
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
"That's where the dog lies buried – Tracking in the World of Words"
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
The History of Script
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen

Film Studies: Collection and Collective? Cinematic lines of development of the 1950s and 60s in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and in the German Democratic Republic (GDR)​
5 Nov 2019 to 21 Jan 2020

Collection and Collective? Cinematic lines of development of the 1950s and 60s in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and in the German Democratic Republic (GDR)
Collection and Collective? Cinematic lines of development of the 1950s and 60s in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and in the German Democratic Republic (GDR)
Image: LS für Filmwissenschaft

Résumé

All in all the Film Studies declare themselves very satisfied with the event series and they can well imagine to repeat it, especially with support of the Rare Disciplines.

Apart from the students who attended the lecture regularly, another audience was present from time to time too. Unfortunately it's unknown which advertisement exactly draw their attention: There were posters in the cinema and all around in different university-buildings, furthermore there were flyers and advertisement online. The additional audience was wide-ranging so that at the Cinema Show of the GDR-Western even children were present who left expectedly right after the film.

Collection and Collective? Cinematic lines of development of the 1950s and 60s in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Lecture in the Cinema
Image: Lena Koseck
Lecture in the Cinema: Presentation of the Wild West in FRG and GDR
Image: Lena Koseck

Caucasian Studies: Khinkali Cooking Class | 21 Jan 2020

The Caucasian Studies welcomed a fully booked cooking class of 20 people in the "Kitchen Studio Walther" to teach the culinarily curious one of Georgia's national dishes: Khinkali. Those are filled dumplings that impress mainly by their form and making because the dough isn't just simply folded around the filling but elaborately twisted or wrapped around it with a certain dexterity so that in the end little tassel like bags or loafs reminding of fish fins or bunny ears are formed. The filling is changeable, depending on one's nutrition or taste. After a short bath in boiling water the dumplings are ready to be served. Khinkali can be dipped in smetana or any other sauce.

By the way: It's said real Georgian men are able to eat at least 20 Khinkali at a time! Quite a challenge.

Prof. Dr. Forker explains the origin of Khinkali
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Making the Khinkali dough
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Cutting out the dough pieces
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Filling 1: Minced Meat
Image: Felix Anker
Filling 2: fried mushrooms, potatoes, parsley
Image: Felix Anker
Filling 2: Curd
Image: Felix Anker
Filling the dough pieces. A level tablespoon is enough
Image: Felix Anker
Twisting in the dumplings is easier for trained, Geogian hands
Image: Felix Anker
The twisting of the dumplings requires some dexterity
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Many Khinkali make very full!
Image: Felix Anker
Forms of Khinkali: round, twisted dumplings or "fish"
Image: Felix Anker
Upside down into boiling water for 10 minutes max.
Image: Felix Anker

Speech Science and Phonetics: Colour on your ears!
16 Jan 2020

Farbe auf die Ohren
Farbe auf die Ohren
Image: LS Sprechwissenschaft und Phonetik

Free the everyday from the grey!

That's been this evening's order. With a colourful programme the students of Speech Science knew how to  drag their audience of of their everyday life into the colour combat. The programme was composed of known authors' texts as well as in-house productions. While the audience suffered vicariously with the frustrated worker, the warm Chamsin led them into other regions. Humorous and serious topics took turns and that way provided good entertainment.

Ancient Oriental Studies: Cuneiform Script – Do it Yourself!
17 Dec 2019

Moist clay? To be acquired in the art supplies shop! – Stylus? Take chopsticks (the wooden ones with a rectangular section at the end)! – Cuneiform script? That's what you've got to learn!

The probably oldest form of writing turns in its execution out to be presumably more complicated than one firstly assumed: The stylus-induced wedges are pressed into the moist clay in a certain arrangement and combination to form "images" (a modern writing-script is conceivably unsuited and impractical for this medium), from which results a more or less particular word, syllabic or phonetic value (logograms, phonograms with the vowels A, E, I or U as well as whole determinatives). In addition it matters in which ancient oriental language one wishes to express oneself: Accadian, Babylonian, Assysrian, Hittite or maybe Persian? Because not every language uses the same phonetic values of the other language. That's why certain sounds of the one language must be either newly invented by new cuneiform combinations or already existing ones of an older language muste be defined anew.

So, have fun when trying to express your modern name from a more or less modern language within the ancient system of cuneiform script! This will not always succeed all too adequately but is nevertheless achievable by means of some detours and tricks.

Moist clay has pros and cons: easy error correction, bur hardly evitable imprinting technique
Image: Seminar für Altorientalistik
Cuneiform script demands patience, focus, technique ... and practise.
Image: Seminar für Altorientalistik
Original ancient objects, 3D models, styluses and moist clay
Image: Seminar für Altorientalistik
Cuneiform Script is directional in writing and reading ... fortunately!
Image: Seminar für Altorientalistik
Writing your own name in cuneiform script? A table of transcription will help!
Image: Seminar für Altorientalistik
Creative Writing in Neo-Assyrian
Image: Seminar für Altorientalistik

Oriental Studies:
The Oriental Numismatic Collection of Jena and the Early Caliphate
16. Dezember 2019

On this Monday evening Josef Jeschke invited into the premises of the university's Mineralogical Collection for a jounrey through the development of Arabic-Islamic Numismatic Culture as well as through the history of the Oriental Numismatic Collection of Jena.

The beginnings of the Oriental Numismatic Collection of Jena are to be traced back into the 18th century when Johann Gottfried Eichhorn gave his habilitation lecture about the origins of Arabic coinage as newly appointed professor of Theology and Oriental Languages. The founding of an actual numismatic collection finally happened via the Court of Weimar and Goethe, not least because Johann Gustav Stickel took a stand for the localisation of a purchased numismatic collection in Jena. Within the following decades until 1906 the collection's inventory grew up to about 13,600 coins, but fell into a deep sleep afterwards of nearly a hundred years. It was not until 1993 when again a chair for Semitic Philology was established at the Friedrich-Schiller University which is, since then, in charge of Prof. Dr. Norbert Nebes. Nebes got the hint to look at "some coins in the basement". Prof. Nebes was no numismatic though and so he entrusted his assistant Stefan Heidemann with this work. He was it who enabled, from 1998 onwards, a first, increasing new acquisition of Arabic coins so that the collections grew up to 21,000 objects.

The History of the Arabic-Islamic Numismatic Culture goes along with the development of Islam itself, its expansion in the 7th century and the development of its own cultural properties: That's why at the beginning Byzantine coins with the images of Eastern Roman Emperors and Christian symbols were used. These were followed by imitations under Arabic-Islamic influence, validated by the imprinting of Arabic characters. Henceforth own mintings were designed, at first bilingual (Greek/Arabic) to make use of them in the neighbouring Byzantine Empire. Finally totally own coins were minted that wouldn't have the occidental cultural contacts surmised at all. Starting from initially pagan depictions of rulers and religions, one proceeds to mint pure textual and ornamental images to obey the Islamic prohibition of pictures.

Josef Jeschke brought a small selection of coins of the Oriental Numismatic Collection Jena with him to the lecture
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Expansion of the Arabic-Islamic World within the course of history
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
For a start of the Arabic-Islamic Numismatic Development Byzantine coins with Christian symbols were drawn on
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Next step: Imitation of Byzantin Coins with Arabic validation
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Now following: Bilingual Mintings
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
First "real" Arabic-Islamic silver coins, still showing pagan subjcts (tails: Fire Altar)
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
The Islamic influence prevails more and more: No more pictures on the coin's reverse but the šahāda instead
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen

Caucasian Studies: Caucasian Night | 12 Dec 2019

On this Thursday evening an audience of different spheres of interest gatherd in the Haus auf der Mauer. Among experts from the Caucasian Studies, scientists and students from other subjects with interest in the Caucasus region within their respective discipline, gave lectures.

Armenian Folk Dances
Image: Tamrika Atrahasis
Gerogia. Small Country with a big heart.
Image: Tamrika Atrahasis
Curious audience
Image: Tamrika Atrahasis
Adj. Prof. Dr. Annegret Plontke-Lüning about her long-term experiences in Georgia
Image: Tamrika Atrahasis
Adj. Prof. Dr. Annegret Plontke-Lüning about her long-term experiences in Georgia
Image: Tamrika Atrahasis
Adj. Prof. Dr. Annegret Plontke-Lüning about her long-term experiences in Georgia
Image: Tamrika Atrahasis
Quiz: How well do you know the Caucasus?
Image: Tamrika Atrahasis
Quiz: How well do You know the Caucasus?
Image: Tamrika Atrahasis
Lecture about the Chamalal people of Dagestan (Russia)
Image: Tamrika Atrahasis
Lecture about the Chamalal people of Dagestan (Russia)
Image: Tamrika Atrahasis

Ancient Oriental Studies: The Cuneiform Script and what it tells us
11 Dec 2019

Prof. Dr. Krebernik explains a so-called "ABC-darium"
Prof. Dr. Krebernik explains a so-called "ABC-darium"
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen

On this Wednes evening Prof. Dr. Manfred Krebernik led his small audience through the history and culture of the ancient Near East in a sweeping blow, starting ascertained 3000 BC and finding its end not until the Seleucid Empire after Alexander the Great.

Prof. Krebernik reported on the diverse history of Regionalism and Great Powers, the development of script from simple counters and stamps to language-representing wedges, imprinted into moist clay by the means of a stylus. The development of the cuneiform itself took place more for economic-statistical reasons to count, collect and document merchandise, magazines, built edifices, years of reign etc. for posterity. Those lists provided the basis for literary texts like the Epic of Gilgamesh, for mathematic discourses, for juristic certificates or medical, technological, musical or astronomical notes.

Who's following the history of the cuneiform script follows simultaneously a part of the history of human civilisation.

The origins of cuneiform tablets is to be found in counters
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Lexical list with titles and professions
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Early cuneiform texts were of economic-statistical intent
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Brick Stamps determined the use of the bricks for a certain building
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
The earliest known inscription of an "alphabet" (dates ca. into the Middle Kingdom/Egypt)
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
a bilingual tablet from the Parthian Period (cuneiform/Greek)
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Even trigonometric discourses found their way onto cuneiform tablets
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
This hepatic modell of sheep served as a guideline for provoked omens
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen

Oriental Studies:
The Arabic Manuscript Culture – An Introduction with Examples
9 Dec 2019

On this Monday afternoon several interested people gathered to have the Arabix Manuscript Culture explained by Prof. Dr. Tilman Seidensticker, the chairholder of the Islamic Studies in Jena.

As illustrative material, Prof. Seidensticker brought two original copies of Arabic manuscripts with him, at which he entertainingly pointed out the peculiarities of such manuscripts and not least their differences to western literature: Especially amusing was the digression about the oddities of side notes that purport e.g. prayers against the bookworm, fiscal emergencies or against talking in sleep, cursings of the one who doesn't trim his beard or even fortune telling by twitching limbs. Very intensively he gave attention to Listener Certificates, propably a unique characteristic of the Arabic manuscript Culture – and Prof. Seidensticker didn't even shy away from providing his audience with a sample of reading and listening to Arabix texts.

Dr. Cornelius Berthold came especially to Prof. Seidensticker's support from Hamburg where he deals with Koran Manuscripts in miniature: Those Koran editions measure up to not more than 3cm in height and their script is way too small to read it properly. Presumably they had some symbolic character and were used as amulets. Even today such miniature Korans can be found as rear-view-mirror-pendants of taxis in the Arabic world.

Prof. Dr. Tilman Seidensticker explains the structure of Arabic manuscripts
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Prof. Dr. Tilman Seidensticker explains the structure of Arabic manuscripts
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
The first pages of Arabic manuscripts were often assigned with various annotations
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
There are peculiarities even inside the manuscripts: attempts to justified text or red script to mark a new paragraph
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Copyists' side notes to certain text passages were marked by special symbols
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
A unique phenomenon pf Arabic manuscripts: Listener Certificates!
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Dr. Cornelius Berthold deals with Koran Manuscripts in miniature
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen
Occasionally the text was calligraphically written in the shape of another text with its own meaning: "script-scripturality"
Image: Koordination Kleine Fächer-Wochen

Southeastern European Studies: The Fascination and Variety of Southeastern Europe
5 – 7 Dec 2019

Early in December Jena's Southeastern European Studies presented themselves in the course of three days with a multifarious programme for listening, watching and participating: In interesting lectures the audience was introduced to the Balkans in all facets from past to present and from West to East and even beyond. Somewhere between documentary, cultural report and historical political barometer the shown films ("Portavoce" at the opening with director's talk, "Revolucionarni dom" and "Nekome Svome" from Montenegro as well as "Whose is this song?" from Bulgaria)about the lives and actions of Southeastern Europe's different nations, are to be sorted in. Culinary workshops about Southeastern European eating habits as well as a dancing workshop accompanied by the live-band "Canticas de Sefarad" were likewise part of the programm, just as the photo exhibition "Faces and Landscapes of Southeastern Europe" was, to be seen at the university's campus.

Prof. Dr. Thede Kahl opens the Theme Days
Image: Christoph Giesel
Jena's Southeastern European Studies introduce themselves
Image: Christoph Giesel
Prof. Dr. Thede Kahl and Dr. Christoph Giesel: "Should there be 'Turkey Slavistics'?"
Image: Gergana Börger
Photo-Exhibition at the Campus
Image: Christoph Giesel
Photo exhibition at the Campus
Image: Christoph Giesel
Live Concert: Canticas de Sefarad
Image: Christoph Giesel
Dancing Workshop accompanied by live music
Image: Christoph Giesel

Opening on 5 December: Documentary "Portavoce"

The Café Wagner provided the perfect venue for an evening that was dedicated to the recent culture of protest in Romania. For several year now, Romanians react increasingly critical – that is visibly critical – to the in many cases intransparent and corruption-beneficial governmental policy in their country. That's what Henry Rammelt, political scientist and sociologist, who deals with social transformations, political participation, social movements and especially with the civil society of Middle- and (South-)Eastern Europe, reports on. Together with Ruxandra Gubernat and Marcel Schreiter he portrayed some protagonists of this protest culture and had their say.

Preceding the cinema show was a lecture about the film's development that dealt (too) with the question how from curiosity and scientific interest finally emerged a film of good publicity that was to be seen on many festivals, and as well discussed the possibilities, maybe even the responsibility, of science to proceed into public with observations and analyses. by doing so, the evening lecture wove into the interdisciplinary seminar programme "Anthropology goes Public. Critical intervention about inequality and stereotypes with the EU" that took place in that winter semester in cooperation with the Department of Ethnlogy/Cultural Anthropology together with the Institute for Romance Studies, Department Romanian Studies.

Der Diskussions- und Filmabend stellte die Auftaktveranstaltung im Rahmen der Kultur- und Informationstage der Südosteuropastudien dar, deren Koordinator Dr. Christoph Giesel hier die Gäste begrüßt.
Image: Marcel Schreiter
Jun.-Prof. Valeska Bopp-Filimonov (Rumänistik) stellt den Protestforscher Dr. Henry Rammelt vor.
Image: Marcel Schreiter
Analyse und Interpretation: Mit ihrem Protest bringen die Beteiligten den Wunsch zum Ausdruck, in einem „normal“-funktionierenden europäischen Land leben zu wollen.
Image: Marcel Schreiter
An den Film schloss sich eine rege Debatte an. Kritisch gefragt wurde unter anderem, ob das Modell Westeuropa nicht idealisiert werden würde: Profitieren wir hierzulande nicht über die Maßen von den vielen ihr Land aus Unzufriedenheit verlassenden Ost- und Südosteuropäern?
Image: Marcel Schreiter

Long Night of Sciences | 22 Nov 2019

Domestic Quarrel on Mount Olympus – So let us talk about Athena now!
Domestic Quarrel on Mount Olympus – So let us talk about Athena now!
Image: LS Klassische Archäologie

Classical Archaeology

The current special exhibition "Children! Olympus is calling!" offered a considerable programme for children, youths and adults at the Long Night of Sciences on 22 Nov 2019: A Guided Quiz Tour let them discover the secrets of Mount Olympus or a Guided Costume Tour they could listen to a domestic quarrel between Zeus and Hera and at the same time learn interesting things to know about the Ancient originals of the exhibition.

Audio Guides lead through the exhibition
Image: LS Klassische Archäologie
Short film clips bring the exhibits to life
Image: LS Klassische Archäologie
Domestic Quarrel on Mount Olympus – So let us talk about Athena now!
Image: LS Klassische Archäologie
Domestic Quarrel on Mount Olympus – Dispute about Ares and Hephaistos
Image: LS Klassische Archäologie
Domestic Quarrel on Mount Olympus – The resemblance between Zeus and his daughter Artemis is remarkable.
Image: LS Klassische Archäologie

Slavistics

Speech Science and Phonetics

Watching the tongue blather
Image: H. Nenoff
Watching the tongue blather
Image: H. Nenoff
Great gathering at the Speec Science
Image: S. Neuhauser
Watching the tongue blather
Image: S. Neuhauser
Watching the tongue blather
Image: S. Neuhauser
View into the exhibition
View into the exhibition
Image: Seminar für Ur- und Frühgeschichtliche Archäologie

Pre- and Early Historic Archaeology

At the Long Night of Sciences on 22nd November 2019 the Pre- and Early Historic Archaeology offered numerous exciting items on the agenda. About 200 people came for the "Night of the Open Door" into non-public Collection for Teaching and Viewing of the teaching building Löbdergraben 24a. Within the collection reference persons answered interested visitors' questions. Many took the chance of a guided tour through the collection by Prof. Dr. Peter Ettel. His lecture on "Archaeology of the Middle Saale Valley" (about 60 guests) and the lecture of Dr. Hans-Volker Karl about the topic of "Cynophagy – Eating Dogs" (about 30 guests) count as the night's hightlights. There was as well the opportunity to visit the recent exhibition "Against the Current – River Shipping in the Middle Ages".

All in all the Long Night of Sciences was a full success for the Pre- and Early Historic Archaeology. (by Maximilian Mewes)

Classical Archaeology: Children's University.
"Monster Alert! Mythical Creatures of Greek Antiquity"
15 Nov 2019

A Friday afternoon, at about 16:15 CET ... and Lecture Hall 6 at the university's campus was jam-packed – not with students however, as usual, but with load os interested children, all of whom were curious about the terrifying Medusa, what happened to the puzzling Sphinx and why the man-eating Minotaur was jailed into a labyrinth.

Greek mythology offered a lot of material for a very short amount of time so that many of the children's questions couldn't be answered in the end. Within the 45min of lecture docent Nick Petukat, supported by his Junior-Assistent Jonas Fritzsche, confined himself to the three above mentioned "monsters", not without referring to the wide variety of mythical creatures that ancient mythology has to offer – so a Part Two of the lecture for the next Children's University is virtually at the ready!

Ein kleiner Ausschnitt der 45-minütigen Vorlesung
Video: University of Jena

Classical Archaeology: Inauguration of the exhibition "Children! Olympus is calling!", 13 Nov 2019

Inauguration Interview: Can you distinguish all the 12 Olympian Gods?
Inauguration Interview: Can you distinguish all the 12 Olympian Gods?
Image: LS Klassische Archäologie

Enthral children for antiquity and prepare an exhibition together? That this can be indeed a thing of success, proves the current exhibition "Children! Olympus is calling!" at the Chair for Classical Archaeology.

The children and youths presented their results at the inauguration on 13 Nov 2019: They tell exciting stories of Greek Gods and Heroes by the menas of video clips and an audio guide.

At the vernissage the young museum-makers faced the questions of interested visitors and gave account of their favourite objects.

Pre- and Early Historic Archaeology: Vernissage
"Against the Current – River Shipping in the Middle Ages"
12 Nov 2019

Dr. Lars Kröger introduces into the topic of River Shipping
Dr. Lars Kröger introduces into the topic of River Shipping
Image: Seminar für Ur- und Frühgeschichtliche Archäologie

At the opening of the exhibition "Against the Current – River Shipping in the Middl Ages" on 12 Nov 2019 Prof. Dr. Peter Ettel welcomed about 70 colleagues, students and guests in the first place, followed by a greeting by Arts Faculty's Dean Prof. Dr. Tilman Seidensticker, just before Dr. Lars Kröger from the German Museum for Shipping in Bremerhaven shortly examined the topic of "Medieval River Shipping" from different perspectives.

Following this, the visitors had the opportunity to view the exhibition and give the evening an enjoyable ending with a glass of wine.

As part of the Long Night of Sciences on 22nd November two public guided tours took place which were attended by about 35 interested guests. Other guided tours through the exhibition that took place on 11 and 14 Dec 2019, attracted 15 people in sum.

We're delighted about the response and hope for numerous guests finding their way into the exhibitions' cabinet within the University's main buildung until the end of the exhibition on 16 Jan 2020. (by Maximilian Mewes)

Caucasian Studies: "My happy family" (ჩემი ბედნიერი ოჯახი)​
6 Nov 2019

The film initiated talking and discussion
The film initiated talking and discussion
Image: Tamrika Atrahasis

The Georgian film "My happy family" by Nana and Simon, shown in the Cinema at the Marketplace, was fodder for lots of conversation and questions afterwards. Especially the recent politic-economical situation og Georgia and the Caucasus region in general held ready topics to discuss.

Slavistics: Emilia Smechowski "Return to Poland" (5 Nov 2019)

Emilia Smechowski "Rückkehr nach Polen", Literarische Lesung und Gespräch
Emilia Smechowski "Rückkehr nach Polen", Literarische Lesung und Gespräch
Image: Thomas Schmidt

On 5 November the institute for Slavistics and Caucasian Studies in collaboration with the State Central for Political Education Thuringia, the Aleksander-Brückner-Centre for Poland Studies and the German-Polish Society Thuringia carried out a lection by and talk with an author in Schiller's Gardenhouse:

The German-Polish journalist and author Emilia Smechowski presented her new book "Return to Poland" that she wrote during her 14-month stay in Gdansk. She reacts to issues like the division of the Polish society, the current political climate and bilingualism; moderated by Thomas Schmidt of the Institute for Slavistics.

The event enjoyed great interest, the room was filled to the last seat. The audience was well mixed: Alongside students and university staff the format obviosuly attracted a broader public too. After the event smaller one-on-one interviews about the Slavistics in Jena, their work and their self-conception emerged. From the organisers' point of view it was a successful evening all in all on which the Institute for Slavistics as well as the Aleksander-Brückner-Centre for Poland Studies presented themselves to a broader public and could give exemplary insights into the study's subject.

Opening Event | 4 Nov 2019

Welcome by Arts Faculty's Dean of Studies, Prof. Dr. Eva Winter
Video: University of Jena
Greetings by Vide-President for Study and Teaching, Prof. Dr. Iris Winkler
Video: University of Jena

The particular Science Slams are here to be watched!

Great programme at capacity audience
Image: Christoph Worsch (University of Jena)
Postcard and Brochure
Image: Christoph Worsch (University of Jena)
Spectator analyses Postcard
Image: Christoph Worsch (University of Jena)
Welcoming by the Dean of Studies (Arts Faculty) Prof Dr. Eva Winter
Image: Christoph Worsch (University of Jena)
Greetings by the Vice-President of Study and Teaching Prof. Dr. Iris Winkler
Image: Christoph Worsch (University of Jena)
Greetings by the Vice-President of Study and Teaching Prof. Dr. Iris Winkler
Image: Christoph Worsch (University of Jena)
Glottis-Rock: Speech Science and Phonetics
Image: Christoph Worsch (University of Jena)
Glottis-Rock: Speech Science and Phonetics
Image: Christoph Worsch (University of Jena)
Caucasian Diversity – Caucasian Studies
Image: Christoph Worsch (University of Jena)
Caucasian Diversity – Caucasian Studies
Image: Christoph Worsch (University of Jena)
The first 1,400 years of Europe – Classical History
Image: Christoph Worsch (University of Jena)
The first 1,400 years of Europe – Classical History
Image: Christoph Worsch (University of Jena)