Prof. Dr. Klaus Mueller: "Bauern, Plaggen, Neue Böden."

History in concrete terms 2025/26
Lectures by the Osnabrück Historical Society in the Museumsquartier
 
History becomes concrete again
In August, the Museumsquartier and the "Society for the History and Regional Studies of Osnabrück" will continue their joint event series "History in concrete terms" 2025/26. Throughout the year, historical aspects of the city and region of Osnabrück between the Middle Ages and modern times will be presented to the public in scientifically based lectures. The events will take place in the Museumsquartier. Admission is free!
 
 
Thursday, August 14, 2025, 7 p.m., lecture hall in the Museum of Cultural History
When - Was - What? Major events in Osnabrück as reflected in historical picture postcards from 1895 to modern times
Helmut Riecken, Osnabrück
The "postcard" played a prominent role as a medium for the rapid exchange of news in the late 19th and 20th centuries. As a "picture postcard", it also became an important information and advertising medium. To this day, the mostly 9 x 14 cm formats tell of central events between local history and world politics. With this lecture, the speaker will provide an exciting insight into his well-known and comprehensive postcard collection on Osnabrück's history.
 
Thursday, September 11, 2025, 7 p.m., lecture hall in the Museum of Cultural History
Wissen_schafft: Leben! - The beginnings of Osnabrück University
Dr. Thorsten Unger, Osnabrück
A Minister of Culture who knows nothing? A physicist who becomes a university planner? Long hair and bell bottoms in a baroque palace? And: buildings that don't even stand on sand? The young University of Osnabrück was full of contradictions and the early years were a great challenge for those involved - today the university is well established and is a natural part of the city and the region. In 2024, Osnabrück University celebrated its 50th anniversary. As part of various projects (campus tours, traveling exhibition "Wissen_schafft: Leben!" ("Knowledge_creates: Life!"), courses at the Department of History), a look was taken at aspects of the university's early history during the anniversary year. The lecture brings together the findings of these projects and aims to contribute to an understanding of today's university. The aim is to show how some reform approaches failed and yet a foundation was laid for today's institution.
 
Wednesday, October 1, 2025, 7 pm
The "Electric" in Osnabrück (1906-1960). Transport and urban development using the example of the history of the tram
Albert Spühr, Osnabrück
In 1906, 120 years ago, the age of the electric streetcar began in Osnabrück. Its example is used to trace the expansion of local public transport as part of Osnabrück's development into a major industrial city. Illustrated by extensive visual material, the history of the Osnabrück tramway is illustrated from the first beginnings of operation, the initial difficulties with staff and passengers, line planning and vehicle technology.
 
Tuesday, November 25, 2025, 7 p.m.
Pensions and building encumbrances. The Kingdom of Hanover's handling of obligations from the period of secularization in the area of the Landdrostei Osnabrück (1813/14-1866)
Dr. Christian Hoffmann, Hanover
The secularization of the high abbeys and principal abbeys of the German imperial church as well as numerous monasteries and convents at the beginning of the 19th century brought the secular sovereigns a considerable increase in assets, but also imposed a number of financial obligations on them, some of which continue to have an impact to this day. Hanover, which was elevated to a kingdom in 1814, also received the Emsland and the County of Bentheim as a result of the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and set up a special authority, the Klosterkammer, to administer the former ecclesiastical assets. The lecture shows how Hanover fulfilled its obligation to provide for the canons, monks and nuns of the abolished monasteries and convents in the Landdrostei Osnabrück and sheds light on the use of the considerable nationalized real estate.
 
Thursday, 15. January 2026, 7 pm
The "Osnabrücker Mitteilungen 2025" are here!
Book presentation followed by a reception
For many Osnabrück history buffs, finding the latest volume of the Osnabrücker Mitteilungen "under the Christmas tree" is part of the annual experience. The publishing association would like to make this special experience of finding out what is new in historical research on the city and region of Osnabrück a shared experience.
This is why the 130th volume will be presented again this year in a festive setting. It brings together contributions that range in their chronological focus from the Middle Ages to contemporary history and shed light on completely new and unnoticed aspects of the history of the . As part of the presentation, selected contributions will be briefly introduced - a diverse and entertaining history lesson.
A small drink will be served afterwards.
 
 
Thursday, February 19, 2026, 7 pm
Farmers, Plaggen, New Soils. On the history of plaggen farming in the Osnabrück region
Prof. Dr. Klaus Mueller, Wallenhorst
Plaggen farming was a form of agriculture practiced for over 1000 years that shaped the entire northwest German region in a unique way. Evidence of this land use, such as fertile soils, esch edges and extensive heathland, can still be found in the landscape today. In addition to agricultural development, land use and typical landscape forms, it also had a significant influence on the way people felt, thought, acted and lived together at that time. But who knows anything about it today? The lecture provides an overview of all aspects of plaggen farming in northwest Germany.
 
Thursday, March 12, 2026, 7 pm
Ossietzky's return to Emsland. Esterwegen culture of remembrance
Gerhard Kromschröder/Hermann Vinke
Hidden, suppressed, denied: In the 1960s, Emsland's concentration camp past was in danger of being forgotten. Two young editors fought against this. Their professional careers are closely interwoven with it: Gerhard Kromschröder and Hermann Vinke were editors of the "Ems-Zeitung" in the 1960s. Despite fierce local opposition, they repeatedly brought the events in the 15 Emsland camps during the Nazi era and their most prominent prisoner, Nobel Peace Prize winner Carl von Ossietzky, to the attention of the general public in their reporting. The lecture shows a picture of the widespread defense against remembrance in Emsland. The two young journalists paid for their commitment against forgetting with their jobs. But today there is a memorial on the site of the former Esterwegen concentration camp, where Carl von Ossietzky has found a worthy place. He has thus returned to the place of his suffering, where he continues to act as a warning against the currently increasing number of enemies of democracy.
 
Thursday, April 23, 2026, 7 pm
Osnabrücker Steinwerke. Architectural history of a complex secular architecture of the late High Middle Ages
Carolin Sophie Prinzhorn, Altenbücken
In the Westphalian city of Osnabrück, quarrystone rear houses are referred to as "Steinwerke", which are the oldest parts of the city's residential buildings dating back to the 13th century and reflect the building and residential culture of the high medieval city. The rear houses formed a two-part house complex together with a Low German plank house facing the street. Uniquely in German secular construction, the Osnabrück stonework in the attic was covered with a stone barrel vault, creating a completely closed, fireproof shell.

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