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“Linie 4” – Warriors, Wars, Crises

In May and June 2026, the public lecture series “Linie 4 – News from Social Science and Historical Research” will take place for the tenth time, organised by the BGHS in cooperation with the VHS Bielefeld. Four doctoral researchers from the BGHS will present their current research in a clear and accessible manner and discuss it with a broader public. This time, the focus is on warriors, wars and crises. The lectures will take place on Wednesdays from 6.15 pm to 8 pm at the VHS Bielefeld in Ravensberger Park, Room 240

On 20 May, the focus is on the Vikings. In her lecture “Dangerous Myths: Vikings between Pop Culture and Populism”, Hannah von Legat explores the questions of what we really know about the Vikings, what we merely think we know, and when this supposed knowledge can become dangerous.

On 27 May, Anastasia Serikova explores museums in her lecture “The Present as a ‘Musealium’: How Museums Depict Ongoing Wars”. For her doctoral thesis, she analysed photographs from exhibitions on the ongoing war in Ukraine. Through detailed observations, she highlights the risks that can arise for museums from the presentation of military objects and actions.

The third lecture on 10 June takes a more theoretical turn. In his lecture “Is Our Time Out of Joint? Derrida, 1989 and the Present”, Marcus Wystub examines the French philosopher Jacques Derrida’s thesis of the ‘end of history’. He also explores how current narratives of crisis – concerning climate catastrophe, the erosion of democracy and economic crisis – are fuelled by talk of a ‘correct’ course of history.

On 17 June, we then move into the era of the ‘noble knights’. In his lecture “‘The wars rose up against Breslau’ – How war was recounted in the 15th century”, Ole Bunte explores how medieval historians recounted war and what this tells us about medieval people’s conceptions of war.

The four lectures (in German) offer a brief insight into the academic research being conducted at the BGHS. As in previous years, however, the main focus will be on the exchange between the doctoral researchers and the audience at the VHS Bielefeld. Engaging lectures, insightful questions and lively discussions are intended to bring Bielefeld University and the city of Bielefeld a little closer together.