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Screening & talk in Berlin #

Motion Comics at the Comic Invasion Berlin  – Moving history(ies) of German division

The MoCom project produced four motion comics that tell personal stories about the division of Germany. Because each motion comic is (partly) set in Berlin and (partly) tells of migration experiences, memories of Berlin then and now are evoked. With people involved in the project we would like to discuss the results with the audience, enter into dialogue and share memories.

Four groups of young people researched memories and developed the narrative. Together with contemporary witnesses and artists, they each produced a 10-15 minute motion comic. These are used for educational work in and outside of schools.

We will show the german versions of the motion comics. If needed we can provide translation during the talk.

WHEN: Sunday, May 5 at 12 am

WHERE: aquarium, Skalitzer Str. 6, 10999 Berlin (rooms are wheelchair-accessible)

Here you find the programm of the Comic Invasion Berlin.

Event "Moving History/Stories. Motion comics in educational work" #

Motion comics in educational work | Event for teachers

WHEN: Friday, February 16, 2024, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

WHERE: Marienborn Memorial to Divided Germany

Modern education in history must adapt to young people’s viewing habits. Based on this principle, four short motion comics – animated short stories with sound – were created at the Marienborn Memorial to Divided Germany from 2021 to 2023. “Border Crossings”, “The Density of Freedom”, “Friendship Beyond Borders” and “Wandering Roots” tell of the division of Germany from different perspectives. They are intended to create incentives for pupils, so that they can deal with the SED dictatorship and the inner-German border.

The Marienborn Memorial to Divided Germany is presenting all four motion comics to the public for the first time in one event. A comparison of the productions reveals the many different approaches to the topic, which have often received little attention until now. Teachers and interested guests will be able to see practical examples of how modern formats for teaching the history of the GDR can look.

Afterwards, the project’s advisors, Dr. Sarah Fichtner (FIBS Berlin), PD Dr. Anja Werner (University of Erfurt) and project manager Lisa Hölscher will talk about the benefits and use of motion comics in educational work.

Registration is not required. There is no entrance fee.

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Invitation to the Motion Comic premiere 'Ankommen'

The ‘Gedenkstätte Deutsche Teilung Marienborn’ presents the German version of another motion comic from the project “Motion Comics as Memory Work”.

Two stories are told:

Damascus and East Berlin – Isi moves from Syria to East Germany for his studies. There, he falls in love with Sylvia. Together, they return to his family in Syria. Will both of them succeed in finding a sense of belonging in a foreign land?

Leipzig and Mainz – Conni protests against the GDR dictatorship in 1989. After moving to the West, she learns that she must find her place in reunited Germany.

The MoCom is based on true memories collected by young people and crafted into a new narrative. The artist Marc Müller translated these memories into visuals.

Now, let’s bring history to life on the screen!

Moderated discussion with the authors and Marc Müller.

Free admission.

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MoCom at the GASCA conference #

This short video provides a summary of what the MoCom project is all about and gives insight into what we have achieved so far. What are our goals? How do we produce motion comics? The video can give teachers in subjects such as history, art, English, German/DAZ, and ethics a first impression and inspire them to include our materials in their teaching!
Dr. Sarah Fichtner and Lisa Hölscher, the two anthropologists in the MoCom team, presented MoCom in July 2023 at the conference of the German Association of Social and Cultural Anthropology (GASCA) in Munich. The video was part of their presentation at the AG Public Anthropology roundtable.
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MDR report about the MoCom project #

The premiere of the first motion comic “Border Crossings” on June 26, 2022 was a very successful moment in the MoCom project! Right before the participants presented their motion comic to an audience on the big screen of the Helmstedt cinema “Roxy Lichtspiele”, they reflected on what they had learned about the inner-German border.

In its feature, the MDR precisely summarizes the goals of the project and the production process. The Marienborn Memorial to Divided Germany is implementing the MoCom project which was conceived and developed by Dr. Anja Werner (historian) and Dr. Sarah Fichtner (social anthropologist).

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First MoCom premiere 'Border Crossings' #

The first motion comic is finished! After eight months of work, we bring history(s) to life on the big screen – in Helmstedt and online!

In Helmstedt: On Sunday, June 26, 2022 at 11:00 AM we will present the German version “Grenzübertritte” at the Roxy cinema in Helmstedt. Following the 10 minutes motion comic, there will be a Q&A with the authors and artists. Free entry!

Online: On Monday, July 4, 2022 at 7 PM we will present online the English version “Border Crossings”. The link to the YouTube premiere will be provided here in advance.

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