Das grüne Band: Ecology and German Reunification

In a module on “borders and migration” for a beginner level class, we learned about the border between East- and West-Germany, its history, and German reunification. After learning about how and when the border was constructed, and how it was fortified to make unauthorized crossings a deadly endeavor, I wanted to give students an impression of what those areas in often rural parts of Germany look like nowadays, as well as end the topic on a more hopeful note. Das grüne Band (the green belt) is a project by the German “Naturschutzbund,” a non-profit nature conservancy and advocacy organization. The first cooperation between East- and West-Germany relating to environmental and ecological matters, the “green belt” turns large parts of the areas that formerly contained border installations into a natural reserve. German Band, a broad stripe, also means “connection,” highlighting that what formerly separated Germany, now ties it together. Students particularly appreciated this aspect of the project. It also allows for low-impact regional tourism and nature exploration, providing bike and walking paths. In addition, there are numerous art installations dealing with the border, and with the people who either succeeded or died in the attempt of crossing it. After introducing the project, I asked students to explore the project's website in pairs, and to discuss it using questions I provided. Students thought this project was a beautiful idea, and they appreciated learning about this epilogue of the border's history.