Symposium
„60 years after 1945 –
With the Deaf History into the Future“
Information in english language
for the conference in Bonn, June 3 - 5, 2005
The 60th anniversary of the end of the war is a unique occasion
for recollection and reconciliation. Throughout this year various
commemorative events and conferences will be held everywhere.
World War II came to an end in Europe on May 8, 1945 when the Germans
signed the capitulation in the presence of the four victorious powers
France, England, the USA and the Soviet Union. It was liberation
from the Nazi tyranny over Germany and the world. The capitulation
meant the end of the 12-year-long "Third Reich" that threw
the world into World War II and resulted in about 60 million deaths.
Under the control of the communist Soviet Union, a socialist one-party
state was established in East Germany, the GDR (German Democratic
Republic). With the support of the Western alliance the Federal
Republic of Germany (FRG) was able to develop into a democratic
and successful state. The crash of communism in Eastern Europe and
the peaceful revolutions, one of which in East Germany in 1989 that
lead to the reunification of Germany, are part of the end of the
eventful 20th century.
At present the European Union is joined together in Western and
Eastern Europe like never before in history. Talking to each other
and confidence in the future are so necessary, because the idea
of the "growing together of Europe" is part of our life
in the 21st century.
The association „Kultur und Geschichte Gehörloser e.V.“
(Culture and History of Deaf People of Germany) would like to run
a conference on this occasion and to consider the situation of deaf
people in Germany in particular. We invited several deaf historians
and lecturer to the conference in Bonn in June 3 - 5, 2005. They
will present their research and discuss it with the audience. Furthermore,
a special contemporary witness, the president of the German Deaf
Association and a chairperson of the Deaf Association from East
Germany are also invited.
The conference will take place in Bonn's quarter of Tannenbusch
at the Gustav Heinemann Haus, a well-known meeting place for people
with and without disablement (see www.ghh-bonn.de). The room accommodates
up to 300 people and the restaurant offers good catering on both
days.
KuGG has reserved many rooms in the partner hotel "Acora"
and the hotel IBIS (more information is available on the registration
form). For all of us and the audience this will be a memorable event
full of history. For participants unacquainted with sign language
interpreters will translate into spoken language.
After the opening of the conference on Friday afternoon Helmut Vogel
and Jochen Muhs will give an overview of the end of World War II
60 years ago.
A contribution by Mark Zaurov about the Holocaust and deaf Jews
will follow. After having occupied nearly the whole of Europe, the
Nazis organised the mass murder of the European Jews. The Holocaust
with its death of 6 million Jews is one of the biggest crimes of
humanity.
We will learn something about the life of deaf French people during
World War II from Marie-France Percevault and Bernard Truffaut from
France - they will report several French studies about World War
II and Nazi-Germany. In connection to this the film "Hanna"
by the International Visual Theatre from Paris will be shown on
Friday evening. The film will take approximately one hour.
On Saturday morning the focus will be on the history of the Deaf
in the GDR and in the new German member states. At first, Dr Hans-Uwe
Feige will present the history of the Deaf Association in the GDR
from the foundation in 1957 to 1989. At the time of foundation the
association was called „Allgemeiner Deutscher Gehörlosen-Verband“
(General German Deaf Association), later it was renamed to „Gehörlosen-
und Schwerhörigenverband“ (Association of the Deaf and
Hearing Impaired).
Afterwards, Martin Domke will give a review of his life in the GDR
and his experience as chairman of the Regional Deaf Association
of Saxony after the reunification. Following the collapse of the
GDR deaf people had to adjust to many things, just as other people
did.
After lunch break there will be an interesting highlight of the
conference with Friedrich Waldow. Helmut Vogel will give an introduction
of the life and work of Friedrich Waldow and of the Deutsche Gehörlosen-Zeitung
on occasion of his 90th birthday. Friedrich Waldow's first home
town was Stettin in Pomerania (now belonging to Poland), where he
was born in 1915. Since 1950 Friedrich Waldow is living in West
Germany, at first with his family in Mülheim on the Ruhr, and
later in Essen. He found his life's work in publishing the German
Deaf Newspaper, and this has not changed until this day. After the
introduction, Friedrich Waldow will make himself available for questions
from the audience.
Then, Gerlinde Gerkens will give a talk about her life in Federal
Republic of Germany and her experience with her work in the association
until her post as the president of the German Deaf Association.
She is the first woman of altogether eight presidents in the history
of the German Deaf Association. During the past two decades Gerlinde
Gerkens has lived through a great deal, especially during her commitment
for the recognition of sign language.
Finally, there will be a panel discussion, in which all lecturer
will present their insights and ideas that they gathered from the
conference for the future, concluding with an informal discussion
with the audience.
During the conference an art exhibition with paintings by Rudolf
Werner, the famous deaf artist, will be on display. His paintings
show the change in deaf people's self-confidence during the last
two decades. On Saturday night there will be a quiz with quizmaster
Herbert Christ. Similar to the charity event in 2003 in Hamburg
and the 2nd Annual Conference in 2004 in Heidelberg, there will
be once more some surprises.
On Sunday morning guided tours will be organised of the excellently
designed House of History of the Federal Republic of Germany that
is situated on the Museums' Mile in Bonn.
The Bonn Conference should be appreciated as a contribution by
the organiser „Kultur und Geschichte Gehörloser e.V.“
to the remembrance of the 60th anniversary of the end of the war.
We are hoping that this conference will be a beginning of common
research and documentation projects within the KuGG. We are convinced
that these projects will turn into valuable contributions for both,
the deaf community and the public.
Poster, programme and registration form are available on our website
www.kugg.de and can be ordered at symposium2005@kugg.de. Furthermore,
an organisational agency is set up for queries and information by
post and telephone at the jOCE agency commissioned by the KuGG,
with fax: ++49 - (0)40 - 5945 2725 or telephone: ++49 - (0)40 -
5945 2724 - for further information, please, refer to the registration
form.
We are looking forward to being able to welcome you at the conference!
"Auf Wiedersehen"
in Bonn!
Helmut Vogel, Chairman of Kultur und Geschichte Gehörloser
e.V.
Translation by Uta Sassenberg
Information and Registration
jOCE-Agentur
Am Dorfteich 12 e
22457 Hamburg
Germany
Tel.: ++49 - (0)40 - 5945 2724
Fax: ++49 - (0)40 - 5945 2725
E-Mail: symposium2005@kugg.de
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