Exhibition: International research studio on architectural photography. “You only know what you see”

The photo exhibition presents the results of a summer school in Saarbrücken on post-war architecture and Franco-German relations to the public.

The architectural heritage of the 20th century provides access to knowledge about historical events that textual sources alone cannot offer. In order to acquire this knowledge, a trained eye is required, because - in a reversal of Goethe's aphorism - “You only know what you see”. Architectural photography opens up the possibility of harnessing the potential of buildings as historical sources and research media.

The aim of the workshop was to create a place of exchange between young academics from the fields of history, architecture and heritage conservation. The intensive and interdisciplinary exploration of the buildings of the occupation period in Saarbrücken, which serve as sources, was intended to open up new ways of gaining knowledge about a key period in Franco-German relations. The research workshop was funded by the Franco-German University and took place in Saarbrücken from September 16 to 19, 2024.