Time travel Gießen 2025: New Bracken calendar combines the past and the present

Time travel Gießen 2025: New Bracken calendar combines the past and the present

In the city of Gießen, a very special project has seen the light of day. The Helmut-von Bracken School has now released its 27th Bracken calendar, which is under the title "Time travel Gießen 2025". This innovative calendar combines historical photos with current recordings and provides an impressive insight into the past and presence of the city. The starting signal for the sale was solemnly, together with guests and students on October 2, 2024.

Mayor Frank-Tilo Becher was on site and obviously enjoyed leafing through the calendar leaves. "This is a sensational calendar," he praised enthusiastically. He found that the combination of old and new pictures not only arouses nostalgic feelings, but also addressed the cityscape. Whether the city church tower, city theater or the marketplace - the comparison of the recordings creates an exciting journey through time.

The challenges of the students

Behind this great project are the school students with a focus of language healing and emotional and social development, under the guidance of their teacher Carina Bender. Eight students worked hard to choose suitable historical recordings from the city archive, which was often a challenge. "Many of these photos were undated, and it was hardly possible to research the exact date," said one of the students, Fynn Kuhn.

The pupils were determined that to complete the project, they have made modern recordings from the same perspectives that are compared to the historical pictures. This interesting concept gives the calendar a unique note and shows how casting has grown over time. From recordings of the botanical garden to historical buildings, the young photographers offered an exciting field of motifs.

Another interesting aspect is the technology that the students used: with their own smartphones they took the recordings, both in the portrait and in landscape. In this way, they were able to work quickly and flexibly and capture the desired perspectives. The shifts at some locations, such as at the Volksbad, which was once on today's parking garage area, also show the creativity and ingenuity of the students. Teacher Bender explained that in these cases they also took out artistic freedom.

The result and the sale of the calendar

The Bracken Calendar 2025 is available in two formats: in larger DIN A3 format at a price of 18 euros and in DIN A4 format for 9 euros. A total of 26 photos can be found in both black and white and in color. "There is a lot of work from you. Your calendar has become a real brand in the city," said Becher and expressed his thanks to the employees of the city archive, which under Dr. Christian Pöpken actively participated in the implementation.

The income from the sale of the calendar directly benefits from the Helmut von Bracken School's promotion work, supported by numerous sponsors who enable this valuable initiative. The calendar is now available, and interested parties can buy it in various places in Gießen, including bookstores such as Thalia and the Ricker’s bookstore, the city office or in the tourist information on the city square.

This complex and creative work of the students is not only a product of learning, but also represents a valuable contribution to identification with the city of Gießen. It remains to be seen how the calendar is accepted in the city and whether it will continue to arouse such a high level of interest in the future. For more information, a look at the detailed reporting www.giessenerzeiger.de recommended.