Vigoni Public History

In today’s societies, questions of historical culture and historical content are becoming increasingly important. But what role does history play in social and cultural contexts?
The goal of Public History is to reflect on whether historical knowledge fulfils civil society and social functions and if so, how is that achieved?

Why is Villa Vigoni dedicated to "public history"?

Villa Vigoni is a living museum where the past is omnipresent. But it is an "active" past; from the history of the 19th and 20th centuries, for which Villa Vigoni is symbolic, a mission emerges: the mission to transmit knowledge and values that should help citizens today to actively and consciously shape their own present.

For this reason, Villa Vigoni will continue its activities in the field of public history in 2020 and 2021. With a series of initiatives, it is addressing the younger generations in particular. The thirtieth anniversary of German reunification is an occasion to discuss the development of the continent's political, economic and cultural balances and the current understanding of Europe.

Villa Vigoni is a ‘living museum’. It symbolises a conscious, open, and dynamic approach towards history, from which a concrete mission emerges: the development and dissemination of knowledge and values that enable today’s citizens to engage with the past and gain tools for understanding the present as well as shaping the future through the interpretation of history. For this reason, Villa Vigoni is committed to the implementation and promotion of Public History activities with a particular focus on the younger generations and intergenerational dialogue.
The 30th anniversary of German reunification provided an opportunity to discuss the development of the political, economic and social balance of our continent as well as the new conception of Europe. As part of this, numerous activities and events were organised, including:

• Organisation of the seminar ‘History, memory, processes. Seminar on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the massacre in the Ardeatine Caves near Rome’ at the University of Tor Vergata in Rome


• Planning and implementation of the event ‘Berlin between history and architecture’ as part of the Bookcity Milano 2022 programme


• Planning and realization of the workshop ‘Remembrance and architecture in Berlin yesterday and today – interdisciplinary perspectives’


• Contributions to the podcast ‘Auf gut Deutsch!’ on the topics ‘Division of Germany`’ and ‘Division of Berlin’ (Paths in divided Berlin; Border stories from divided Germany)


• Publication of the book ‘Divisione e riunificazione: itinerari storici nella Berlino della Guerra fredda’ (Division and Reunification. Historical routes in Cold War Berlin), published by Villa Vigoni to mark the 30th anniversary of German reunification (October 2020)


• Organisation of the ‘Villa Vigoni Open Day’ with a focus on German reunification (2nd October 2020)


• SCHOOLS BEYOND BORDERS: Development and practical application of digital teaching materials for history teachers in the neighbouring regions of Bavaria, Tyrol and South Tyrol (mainly under the guidance of Professor Giuseppe Zorzi/ Trento)

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