21 Germany and Your Identity Abroad
Considering the limited area it occupies – only 138,000 square miles, about 15 percent smaller than Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa taken together – Germany is a remarkably diverse country. Its topography ranges from the coastal lowlands on the North and Baltic Seas, where Low German is still spoken, to Alpine heights in the south. Germany lies in the heart of Europe and acts as a bridge between the east and west. With its 83 million citizens, Germany is the most populous European nation. Germany has a number of unique features that the government has to consider when making political decisions – for example, it is bordered by nine countries (compared to the two neighbors of the U.S.).
It is also important to learn about Germany’s past to gain a deeper insight into the country and its people. You may wonder, for example, why so many of the major streets in Freiburg – such as the “main drag,” the Kaiser-Joseph-Straße – are named after Austrian (rather than German) royalty. In fact, Freiburg and the entire surrounding region of the Breisgau were Austrian territory until 1803. And why does one of the university dorm complexes have a French name? The Studentendorf Vauban was originally built as housing for French NATO troops. Indeed, Freiburg was occupied by France not just following World War II, but also from 1677–1699, and again from 1744–1748. The NATO garrison was named after Sébastien de Vauban, an engineer who in the 17th century redesigned the entire city of Freiburg as a giant French fort. Running through the university just one block north of the AYF Program Center is Rempartstraße, which marks the original ramparts laid out by Vauban.
Germany and Your Identity Abroad
The more you learn about German political and cultural history and its continuing impact on everyday life today, the more rewarding your stay abroad will be. Like every other country, Germany is in some ways a contested space. People you encounter may express very different views and values in their daily interactions in Freiburg as well. On the one hand, Freiburg hosts one of the larger Pride Parades for Christopher Street Day and has a very lively LGBTQI+ scene; on the other hand, homophobic incidents are not unheard of. On the one hand, a large Black Lives Matter rally took place in Freiburg in the summer of 2020; on the other hand, racially insensitive comments or racist incidents have been reported by local people of color and AYF students. A few years ago, a crowd of Freiburgers several thousand strong prevented a neo-Nazi march through town by completely blocking off the main train station, keeping the would-be marchers inside until they gave up and departed. And yet, anti-foreigner and antisemitic sentiments are evidently key aspects driving recent election successes of the right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) founded just ten years ago.
As you prepare to go abroad, try to learn more about Germany and about Freiburg with your social identities in mind. Consider your social identities and the groups you are a part of. How might the way you understand your own identity, and the way that others perceive it, change in Freiburg? Different parts of our identity become more salient or more pronounced in our minds depending on the identities of those around us. Study abroad, then, can present a huge challenge. It can also provide the opportunity to learn and grow in our knowledge of ourselves. We encourage you to think about the parts that make up your identity (e.g., Asian American, biracial, Jewish, first-generation college student, non-binary, etc.). Some aspects of your identity may be more easily observed by others (e.g., gender expression, skin color, age, etc.) while other parts are less observable (e.g, gender identity, citizenship, health/wellbeing, sexual orientation, etc.). Two students who hold the same identity may end up having very different experiences.
If you notice one of your fellow participants experiencing discrimination or reactions from locals that you feel are inappropriate, reach out to them, and see what you can do to support them. We hope you’ll also talk to the AYF staff for additional support as needed.