Frame and Preparation
“Home” from Your Homeland is Our Nightmare (Eure Heimat ist unser Alptraum, 2019)
Conceptual Frames and Background
- Heimat
- Identity
- Citizenship
- Politics
Introduction
This essay is from the antifascist collection published in German as Eure Heimat ist under Albtraum and English as Your Homeland is Our Nightmare. Each essay provides insight into the daily lives and lived experiences and perspective of the author. “Home” specifically also engages in a concise overview of the historical uses and appropriations of ideas surrounding Heimat, as well as how they impact Sanyal’s experiences in Germany today.
Because of the brevity of the historical overview of Heimat it serves a as a wonderful starting point for understanding the term with students.
Preparation
The text refers to specific AfD and other politicians, so you could clarify some elements of the German parliament system and minister-election process prior to reading, or simply be prepared to answer potential question afterwards.
Text and Discussion
Students should read the text prior to class. The text can easily be assigned alongside other essays in the collection (for example Visible by Sasha Marianna Salzmann) or it could be read alongside political manifestos engaging with the concept of Heimat. The essay is available in German or in English. The English version can be purchased through literarische diverse verlag as a bound volume or digitally via transit journal. Below is a PDF version, as well.
Having read the text once at home, students should work in pairs or small groups on the following discussion questions (provided as a word document and PDF below). We recommend having students work on question 1-2 together before reviewing them with the class, then moving on to questions 3-6 before reconvening with the class, followed by questions 7-11.
The group work mentioned at the end of the document is an optional review and depends on available time. It could also be re-worked as a short writing assignment either in class or after class.
Developed by Veronica Cook Williamson.