Why History Education? An Introduction

The question of the meaning of history education has increasingly been raised recently. The teaching of history must assert itself in the field of tension between politics, economics and culture. History teaching in classes has come under pres­sure in many places. On the one hand, it can be observed that the teaching of history is being instrumentalized in various countries in order to strengthen nationalism. On the other hand, history as an independent school subject is in the process of disappearing from the curricula of different countries. Last but not least, the strong utilitarian and competence orientation of many school systems raises the question of what learning history can actually contribute to understanding the present and the functioning of society. This fundamental uncertainty about the goal and purpose of history education stands in strange contrast to the public sphere, where a veritable boom in historical culture can be experienced. But even there, confidence in the orienting function of history in both the present and the future is low.