Are the Media Instruments of Power? Abitur 12 Explores the World of Media
For their last French lesson before the Christmas break, students of Abitur Grade 12 took their classroom discussions beyond school walls and into the Museum for Communication. During a private guided tour titled “The Power of the Media”, the students received a thought-provoking introduction to the central theme of their final Abitur semester: the world of media.
The exhibition invited students to reflect on how media and information have been used – and misused – throughout history to shape opinions, influence politics, and exercise power. From the Code of Hammurabi and the Venus of Willendorf to the invention of printing in China in the 11th century (long before Gutenberg), and the systematic use of mass media by the NSDAP in Germany, the tour highlighted striking historical continuities.
In the context of rising far-right extremism, the visit encouraged students to question their assumptions, analyze mechanisms of manipulation, and sharpen their critical thinking skills – competencies that are more relevant than ever in today’s media-saturated world.