Teaching European History in German Secondary Education - A Review of Four State Standards for History in Gymnasium -

Abstract

With European Union expanded and consolidated, Germany is actively spearheading in European history research and education. In order to get a close look at how European history is taught in the classroom, asking questions like how the idea of Europe as a unitary community and European consciousness is introduced, how the viewpoint of Eurocentrism is handled in teaching European history and what kind of problems European history teaching has from the perspective of global history, this paper selected the state standards for history of Bayern, Berlin/Brandenburg, Sachsen and Nordrhein-Westfalen. All four state standards include variety of contents pertinent to strengthening European integration and world historical understanding, but all to different degrees and in different ways. Berlin/Brandenburg approaches, corresponding to its location as the capital area of Germany, European history in context of a traditional political education. In comparison, Sachsen features contents related to East European and the f ormer East German history wherever i t can. Most aggressive in teaching a world-history-oriented European history is Bayern and Nordrhein-Westfalen, but with different nuance. Both states’ standards share the problem of Eurocentrism, but the former is more committed to hegemonical interests whereas the latter pursues more inclusive understanding of the One World based upon the methodology of cultural comparison.