Authors: Sabrina Blendermann, Emilia Patron, Raphael Blömers
Every degree brings with it 'a pile' of memories. Our aim is to capture the spirit of the times, which is constantly developing and changing, has an impact on politics and society and therefore also influences student life. When today's Faculty of Social Sciences was still called the Youth Welfare School for Men, student life was shaped by the past war. A social revival as before 1933 was the wish of large sections of the population. This was also the case for Wilhelm Seehase, our oldest interviewee: he was a student at the welfare school, which was called the Social Education Seminar from 1952. Like many others, he pursued the goal of making a contribution to society and helping to improve the social sector (see Wilhelm Seehase, 2022, min. 12:15).
There were great differences in the housing situation of students in the 1950s. A large proportion of students were able to live in boarding school accommodation. Friedrich Siegmund-Schultze, the founder of the youth welfare school, helped to set up the residential community attached to the school (cf. Wilhelm Seehase, 2022, min. 10:15). Wilhelm Seehase, who described himself as a student driver, occasionally spent the night in this house. However, he mostly used the train connection from Dortmund to Münster, where he lived at home with his parents. Thanks to financial support for travel costs, other additional costs such as accommodation and meals were saved.
1960s and 1970s
The following 1960s and 1970s are best known for strikes and demonstrations. "But of active strikes, we didn't stay in bed, we went to the lecture halls at 08:00", says Georg Deventer, who began his studies at the end of the 1960s (ibid., 24.01.2023, min. 07:29). Deventer, a very committed student, was a co-founder of the so-called Red Cell Social Work. An association of students who tried to "eliminate the cause of all evil" (cf. ibid., min. 09:35). Like many other students at the time, he did not get along with all of the lecturers. Without further ado, he once used the grand piano in the now old location of the UAS and composed a song dedicated to a particular lecturer. The song was entitled "Down with XXX!" (see Deventer, 24.01.2023, min. 10:15 - anonymized). The strikes, protests and demonstrations, which took place not only at Fachhochschule Dortmund or in the city of Dortmund, but throughout Germany, had the effect of significantly improving the financial situation of students. The exclusive dependence on parental income was abolished and the Bafög, which is still used today, was introduced - albeit as a grant, not (as is currently the case) as a loan. "The conditions were of course excellent, [especially] that we all got money" (cf. Georg Deventer, 24.01.2023, Min 15:51). Not having to work was a very important prerequisite, he continues. "That's why we were able to study and demonstrate excessively. We simply had time" (cf. ibid., min. 16:43). The time available was primarily used to meet up with fellow students. "We had three pubs, that was incredible." This refers to pubs on Lindemannstraße/Kreuzstraße in the Kreuzviertel district. Nowadays used exclusively as restaurants, the pubs were considered a meeting place for writing concepts in the back room with twelve or more people. (Georg Deventer, 24.01.2023, min. 01:11:42). The concepts mostly revolved around socio-political issues. Even if the food you got from your family for the week ran out, the landlord helped out with toast, as Georg Deventer describes it (cf. ibid.).
While some took to the streets to protest for better study conditions, others used the strike days to engage in other leisure activities. "A friend and I went to the Wellinghof outdoor pool on a strike day and had fun there. We didn't think about content at all" (Karl-Josef Schulz, 24.01.2023, min. 11:57).
1980s
The 1980s at Fachhochschule Dortmund were a little quieter compared to the previous decade. The move to Emil-Figge-Straße was imminent, but this also caused regret among the students. The charm of the old building and the pleasant, familiar atmosphere on Hohe Straße were gone, as Heike Kastel, who studied at the UAS from 1985 to 1989, describes it (cf. ibid., 02.05.2023, min. 03:55). The new location, which was officially inaugurated on November 25, 1986, now had to be shared with the Faculty of Business Studies as well as the University of Dortmund and the Detmold University of Music (cf. fh-dortmund.de). Nevertheless, attempts were made to make everyday life on campus as pleasant as possible. The green spaces directly in front of the building were helpful; especially in summer, they were not only used as leisure areas, but also as places for seminars from time to time. "I thought the cafeteria was a bit of a bummer [...] You always had to borrow books from the library somehow, but they weren't comfortable places" (cf. Heike Kastel, 02.05.2023, min. 08:05). Heike Kastel adds that the students missed the old location on Hohe Straße, where they not only studied but also occasionally celebrated parties organized by the student representatives. (cf. ibid., min. 08:10).
In contrast to the 1970s, when students demonstrated for better study conditions and financial support during their studies, the protests in the 1980s were aimed at a different, global issue: "At that time, the peace movement was very active, we used to walk around with dove stickers and against nuclear power. Other students organized buses so that we could travel to peace demonstrations together. We did that out of conviction, but also because it was fun" (Heike Kastel, 02.05.2023, Min. 09:29).
A NATO maneuver in 1983 triggered fears of a possible nuclear war. Added to this was the nuclear disaster at the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Chernobyl on April 26, 1986 (cf. lpb-bw.de). "We all had an inner fear of nuclear weapons," recalls Heike Kastel (cf. ibid., 02.05.2023, min. 09:52).
1990s
At the beginning of the 1990s, the canteen food had not yet improved. The campus was still not a feel-good place for most people either. "I can't remember us spending so much time here," says Marie-Luise Bergmann. She compares it to today's conditions: "The canteen food was much worse. It was really creepy and when you ate there, you always had the feeling that you had eaten a brick" (ibid., 02.05.2023, min. 54:56, 55:17). Marie-Luise Bergmann, who now works as a lecturer at Fachhochschule Dortmund, studied from 1989 to 1993. What had not changed since the previous decades was the atmosphere in the seminars. "It still had that old 70s charm, even though it was the early 90s" (Katja Nowacki, 24.04.2023, Min. 10:21). The current dean and lecturer at Fachhochschule Dortmund studied at the same time as Marie-Luise Bergmann.
" [...] if I remember correctly, some people even smoked in the seminars, yes, there were people sitting there with dogs, with children who were being breastfed, so it was all still very colorful and I still knitted a lot" (Katja Nowacki, date, min. 10:05).
Instead of distracting themselves with their smartphones, they engaged in discussions. "It was livelier, there was a lot more discussion, including controversy" (Marie-Luise Bergmann, 02.05.2023, min. 59:27). "[...] political topics were always hotly debated" (Katja Nowacki, 24.04.2023, min. 10:40). In addition to 'smoking' seminar rooms and controversial discussions, there were also occasional far-flung excursions.
"There was a seminar with Karl Heinz Stiefer, a psychologist who offered conversation management, and we went as a small group to a little house near Bruges and did a conversation management seminar there" (Marie-Luise Bergmann, 02.05.2023, min. 56:46).
Back then, as now, there were parties and the induction week, which Katja Nowacki remembers vividly. "[...] that's where I met one of my best friends back then and that's why I'm still so committed to the introductory week, because I thought it was great back then" (cf. ibid., min. 08:06). The week serves to make initial contacts or, if necessary, to get to know like-minded people.
"There was the bees and bears faction. Some were more with children and they were a bit sweet and did cute things. And then there were the people, like I said, social education, who did games like Mrs. Kusenberg, play seminars and so on. And then there were the others, addiction help, a bit cooler, a bit harder and then also [...] the theater work" (Marie-Luise Bergmann, 02.05.2023, Min. 55:41).
The question of where the groups spent their time remains open. Even in the early and mid-1990s, there were few opportunities to do so at and within Fachhochschule Dortmund. There was neither the Kostbar nor the so-called food faculty. Katja Nowacki remembers that there was a mini cafeteria with few and small tables, which - as was to be expected - were always occupied (cf. ibid., min. 08:51). However, this place turned out to be a good place to meet and spend time waiting. Like many students then and now, Ms Nowacki commuted. In the winter semester of 1992/1993, commuters could rejoice. The first semester ticket was offered for the entire VRR network. The price at the time was 14 marks per month (cf. fh-dortmund.de). It did not contribute to the reliability of the S1. For example, Volker Görtz (who started his studies in 1993) only used it in an emergency when it was raining really badly and he couldn't get there with his motorcycle (cf. ibid., 02.05.2023, min. 06:35).
The social centers of the students in the 1990s were as different as the supposed division into the bees and bears faction. Some have fond memories of celebrated parties and many amusing hours with fellow students. Others came solely to study and stayed away from the UAS due to a different place of residence or a lack of time and interest. The lack of time was also due to a lack of money. Marie-Luise Bergmann had both in mind. "I remember that I still didn't miss much, even if I was bartending in the pub at 01:00 on Wednesdays and was here at 09:00 in the morning" (ibid., 02.05.2023, min. 11:34).
Progressive digitization reached Fachhochschule Dortmund: In 1996, the Fachhochschule Dortmund website was accessed for the first time. Even though it was incomplete at first, it provided information about study programs and the university. Just one year later, students had access to an electronic mailbox. It was not only the Internet that took studying to new dimensions. The century ended with a change to the degree. In 1999, the EU education ministers in northern Italy agreed on a standardized academic education. Under the Bologna Process, diploma courses were replaced by Bachelor's and Master's degrees (cf. fh-dortmund.de).
2000s
The rapid development of information technology proves to be characteristic of the beginning of the 21st century: the WIFI network has been in place at Fachhochschule Dortmund since 2004 and the first digital applications were possible in the 2005/2006 winter semester. At the same time, the curricula vitae and age differences of the students became more mixed. Frank Maier, who started his studies in 2008, remembers "there were a lot of older people who had already done some kind of training" (ibid., 16.05.2023, min. 04:50). Digital registration for seminars, as is the case today, did not yet exist. This sometimes led to predatory actions. "You still had to make these entries on the doors if you wanted to get into a seminar somewhere and these lists were stolen from time to time" (cf. ibid.). The organization of studies is becoming increasingly individual. Shaped by place of residence, interests and age. But even in the 1970s, Georg Deventer considered studying to be the best time of his life (cf. ibid., Min 16:43). This was also the case for Frank Maier not so long ago. "I studied for 10 years. But never in the summer semester, I was always on the road a lot" (ibid., min. 01:42). In 2020, however, there was a significant break in the students' lives. As everyone remembers, the world came to a sudden standstill due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lectures were only held at home, online, everyone for themselves, in front of their screens. Student life was out of the question. Some used the time to get closer to their bachelor's degree. Others longed for freedom and exuberance. The crisis probably only helped the progress of digitalization. In 2022, however, all students were able to rejoice and return to the Faculty of Applied Social Studies at Emil-Figge-Straße 44 to experience things together again, make things happen, philosophize and discuss.