Between dazzling classicism and the shadow of the Ettersberg - The Reinsdorf International Schools explore Weimar

Initially, two larger groups took part in guided tours of the city. At the classic spots in Weimar's city centre, the focus was not only on the places where Goethe and Schiller worked, but also on how the poets and their works have been instrumentalized and used by governments and regimes throughout history.

The National Socialists in particular had a popular base in Weimar in the early stages of their seizure of power and ultimately also operated the Buchenwald concentration camp on the Ettersberg within sight of the city.

The second part of the day's program included workshops. One group dealt intensively with the instrumentalization of Weimar and its art by the National Socialists.

The other dealt with Goethe's Faust and the media treatment of the drama and its characters over the course of time since its creation. From kitschy Faust-Gretchen postcards to TV satire, numerous adaptations of the material were examined and presented.

After an hour at leisure, we headed back home with all kinds of new insights.