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Educational Opportunities

Subjects

The PRORA CENTER offers groups a range of topics concerning the National Socialist and GDR eras. The historic place of Prora and the region are the starting points for educational opportunities.
Examples of larger historical relationships are illustrated here.

Additional subject matter or a focus on specialised aspects may be agreed upon as requested.

The following five subject areas are offered:

  • The Nazi organization “Strength through Joy (Kraft durch Freude)” and the planned “KdF Rügen Seaside (KdF-Seebad Rügen)”
  • The use of Prora during World War II (1939-1945)
  • Jewish life on Rügen and the “Aryanization” of the Binz spa
  • Military use of the Prora site after 1945 – the “Cold War” and the “construction soldiers” in Prora
  • Peacekeeping and conscientious objection: The “construction solders” in Prora as one part of the opposition to the GDR

Educational Formats

We offer diverse educational formats throughout the year depending on time available and interest:

Walks around the Prora grounds

take between one and two hours depending on the desired methodology and content. Participants will be guided around the site and historical visuals will be provided in order to vividly tell the story of Prora during the National Socialist and GDR eras, as well as to explain current developments. An exploration of the premises on a bicycle may be done as a veritable “moving history”.

(Youth hostel guests may rent bicycles from the hostel for a fee).

You can find more information here!

Short projects

are done in a three to five hour time frame. A selected historical aspect is focused on, and this will relate to the history of the Prora site. The materials and methodologies depend on the structure of the groups and their interests.

 

New short project – an exhibition comes to schools

In the wake of the Corona pandemic, PRORA-CENTER has developed a new project for schools in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The association is lending the exhibition “From the Peaceful Revolution to German Unity” (2019). The exhibition of the Federal Foundation for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship and the Federal Government Commissioner for the New Federal States is produced on 20 roll-up banners. PRORA-CENTER provides schools with the exhibition and a film with a contemporary witness interview with Martin Klähn (also available on our website entrance page, so far only in German) as well as questionnaires about the exhibition prepared by students of the Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Gymnasium (EMA) in Bergen, Rügen. For more information, please contact us.

One-day and multi-day seminars

offer the opportunity to delve deeply into historical topics. In multi-day seminars, excursions of the surrounding area may be integrated. From March/April to October, the Prora Youth Hostel is open for meals and overnight stays. In the winter, the Binz Youth Hostel is available.

Please note the following!

Goals and Expectations

The PRORA CENTER has many years of experience in doing historical-political educational work and since 2001 it has been recognised several times for its projects, including by the Federal Agency for Civil Education.

The aim of this educational work is to involve adolescents and adults by engaging with the regional history of Prora, and the island of Rügen and Mecklenburg Vorpommern to enable them to grasp, analyse and make sense of greater historical relationships. With this aim, we design our educational offerings in an age-appropriate manner and in close consultation with the groups themselves. Special interests and needs may thus be considered in the planning and implementation of projects and seminars.

We use a participatory methodology to promote independent engagement
with historical content. This includes working in small groups and appropriating
historical content in a self-determined and creative manner.

In light of Prora’s past, democracy education is important to us. In addition to providing an overall context for history, we want to encourage people to think about society and its role within it.

Examples of our work

  • Work with the exhibition → Worksheets for the BS exhibition
  • Excursions
  • Jewish life in Bergen and on the island of Rügen
  • Children’s Evacuation Program in Binz
  • GDR-Project day

Booking

The prices for the educational programs offered depend on the size of the group and on the type and size of the project. If you are interested in coming to Prora with your group for a guided tour or for a project, please contact us! We look forward to working with you in order to develop a tailored service for your group!
Contact details may be found at the bottom of the homepage, you can also use the contact form on this page.

A summary of the most important information regarding our educational offers may be found in our current flyer.