'Religious Energy'

What are people in Germany thinking about? Which topics are discussed in the media, on the street and in politics? These are questions that the German Hygiene Museum in Dresden poses when it comes up with new exhibitions. That's because - contrary to what its name may lead visitors to believe - the museum deals with the cultural, social and scientific revolutions taking place in contemporary German society. The museum's new exhibition is titled "Religious Energy: About Man and God" and runs from October 2 to June 5, 2011. The point isn't to introduce various world religions but to show how people deal with the issue of faith and how religious debates shape contemporary society. Those debates include discussions about crucifixes and head scarves in public, how religions relate to each other and religion's role in a world so deeply influenced by science and technology. Tours, presentations and readings provoke thought and discussion, while various videos at the exhibition offer other positions and insights.

Paris in pictures

A stroll through Paris - right in the middle of Germany's Ruhr Valley. That's the idea behind an exhibition at the Museum Folkwang in Essen. It takes up the City of Light at the end of the 19th century, when artists were fascinated by the thundering pace at which Paris modernized and became a city of boulevards, theaters, cafes and steadily growing industry. The painters of the time captured the city's transformation in their work, and many of the artists have since become world famous, including Edouard Manet, Pierre Auguste Renoir and Claude Monet. "Images of a Capital - the Impressionists in Paris" features works by those artists and other central figures from October 2 to January 30, 2011. The exhibition is part of the region's year as a European Capital of Culture and parallels the Ruhr Valley's own dramatic transformation within a short time span.

Twenty years of German unity

Some Germans may have already had enough of the fanfare surrounding the anniversaries of the fall of the wall in 1989 and reunification in 1990. On October 3, 1990, the five states that made up East Germany joined West Germany, bringing an end to a divided country. Since then, October 3 has been celebrated as German Unity Day. Each year, the federal president's home state organizes the festivities. This year, that task falls on Bremen, the smallest of the country's 16 states - but the celebration will still be bigger than ever in this anniversary year. Bremen's official website is already counting down the days to the event, which is expected to draw several hundred thousand people, including Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Christian Wulff.

Frankfurt Book Fair

For those in the publishing industry, the event of the year is coming up: the Frankfurt Book Fair from October 6 - 12. It's the world's biggest book fair, drawing publishers and authors from across the globe. Although the first few days are reserved for industry insiders, the doors open on Saturday and Sunday to the public. Readers can explore the fair's expansive hallways, collect catalogs and take in public readings. Each year, a different guest country is highlighted and this year Argentina is the focus. Months in advance, the fair's guest country begins getting attention in Germany, whether through concerts, film series, readings or media reports. When China was the guest at last year's fair, topics like human rights and press freedom were in the headlines. Now, Argentina's recent past is occupying the discussion - namely, its rehabilitation after a military dictatorship from 1976 to 1983.

Experimental taste

Listening to contemporary compositions isn't everyone's idea of a good concert. But for those who do like new music, the Donaueschingen Festival from October 15 - 17 is not to be missed. It's the world's oldest festival for new music and rich in tradition. Each year, the event brings an experimental atmosphere to the small town of Donaueschingen, where discussions and disputes take place in all sorts of languages. Visitors head in from the Netherlands, Austria, France, Switzerland and beyond. Most guests stay for the entire weekend and try not to miss any of the nine concerts at the festival, most of which are premieres. But the Donaueschingen Festival isn't just for insiders. In the week leading up to the concerts, organizers set up various programs that let visitors meet with the artists and ask them questions about their work. For many, those conversations are a helpful step toward tackling the unconventional music they will hear on the weekend.

Hitler and the Germans

How was it possible for a man like Adolf Hitler to be accepted by so many Germans? And how could he have inspired mass hysteria during his public appearances? Those are the questions behind a new exhibition at the German Historical Museum in Berlin: "Hitler and the Germans: Nation and Crime" from October 15 - February 6, 2011. By way of documents, pictures, videos and objects from the era, visitors get a sense of the myth that Adolf Hitler manufactured. The exhibition also contains a film series that explores various representations of Hitler throughout the decades. There are films by Leni Riefenstahl on view - a woman contracted by the Nazis to film the party's conventions and propaganda items. Other films in the exhibition include "Mein Fuehrer - The Truly Truest Truth about Adolf Hitler" - a comedy by Swiss Director Dani Levy from 2007. Beloved German comic Helge Schneider takes on the role of Adolf Hitler in the movie.

World culture in Cologne

Planning a move takes time, but when a museum gets ready to move, it can take as much as 15 years. The Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum in Cologne has delayed its move three times, but finally, it is set for a new grand opening. The museum's holdings offer glimpses into cultures across the world, arranged not by geographic relationships but rather by topics and issues. How do people organize their lives, live together in society and deal with death? The museum's unique approach is gaining attention in the world of galleries, and guests are presented with intriguing responses to the questions that come up in the course of each person's life.

Author: Petra Lambeck (gsw)
Editor: Kate Bowen