Frau Wagner, a much beloved former teacher, returned to King’s on Wednesday evening to address the Academic Scholars about growing up in Görlitz in the Deutsche Demokratische Republik, Communist East Germany, during the Cold War.

The talk commemorated the 35th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall on 9th November 1989, which signalled the collapse of Communism.

Mapping her upbringing against the backdrop of a society dominated by the Communist Party, this was a fascinating presentation.  With a collection of personal memorabilia, including a much-prized denim jacket manufactured in the West, Birgit showed how Marxist-Leninist orthodoxy framed life.  Pioneers Camps were designed to indoctrinate the youth with prescribed values and the Stasi, the Security Police, was ever-present, although the reality was not always austere, even for the daughter of an “intellectual”.

At the close of the discussion, Nick Rogers, on behalf of the Zetountes Society, thanked Frau Wagner for her valuable and entertaining insights.

Related Posts

  • Junior Schools Challenge – National Finals

    One of our two Preparatory School General Knowledge teams battled through the season-long qualifying rounds from over 100 leading independent schools to reach the National Finals of the Junior Schools Challenge staged at the Hall School in Hampstead on Saturday. Competing against eight teams from across the UK, including the Perse School in Cambridge, [...]

  • TVP Rowing Regatta

    On Sunday, we competed at the TVP Regatta on the River Thames. Despite challenging weather conditions, with a strong headwind throughout the day, it was a successful and rewarding experience for the club. We had six crews racing, and the event was exceptionally busy with a high turnout from clubs across the region. The [...]

  • Summer Concert Celebrates Music, Memories and Farewells

    This year’s Summer Concert was a spectacular celebration of musical talent, marking both an end-of-year tradition and a heartfelt farewell to our Upper Sixth musicians. The evening began in grand style with the Senior Orchestra, which included two pupils from Year 8, performing Franz von Suppé’s Light Cavalry Overture, setting the tone for a [...]