Germany: A Culture of Memory
In this 2-week study abroad program, you will experience a broad sweep of German history from the Middle Ages to the present day by visiting sites in Thüringen—the “Green Heart” of Germany—and the capital city, Berlin.
Germany 2025
Travel Dates
May 25 – June 9, 2025
Germans have a complicated relationship with the past. Some of humanity’s most consequential achievements and some of its darkest moments collide here at heart of Europe, and Germans have developed a practice of commemorating both sides of that past.
This summer, we will investigate this practice, and gain a deeper, first-hand understanding of German contemporary culture by traveling for two weeks through the German heartland: the cities of Erfurt, Eisenach, Weimar, Leipzig and Berlin. Along the way, we will discover out-of-the-way monuments, stroll through museums, picnic in parks, scramble through train stations, and absorb the sights. We will read excerpts of literature, watch films, and visit historical sites, such as the Wartburg, (a castle where Martin Luther translated the New Testament,) the home of J.S. Bach, the Bauhaus Museum, the underground ruins of an anti-aircraft tower from World War II, the Berlin Wall, and the concentration camp at Buchenwald. This is a rare opportunity to learn from what the Germans do with a difficult past that seems present in everyday life—just around the corner from wherever you stand.
This joint IUSB-IUSE Study Abroad in Germany Program is administered by the Office of International Programs at IU South Bend in collaboration with the Office of Study Abroad and Global Awareness at IU Southeast.
This program is offered in English and is open to all students. No German proficiency is required.
Students will enroll in:
- GER-G 255 Traditions and Innovation in German Literature
- GER-T 390 Democracy, Dictatorship, Dissent: Berlin in the Short Twentieth Century, 1914-1989
This program can accommodate 15 students. Preference will be given on a first come, first served basis. Reserve a spot with an early deposit. All students must be registered IU students with a minimum of sophomore credit status in good standing with a minimum 2.75 GPA.
Total cost for the program will be $3,000, plus tuition for 6 credits.
Applications are due Monday, December 2, and a deposit of $300 is due by Wednesday, January 15, 2025, with the balance paid in full (or by commitment from Financial Aid) by April 15.