At the end of the year, there is a need for something reflective. That’s why, for many years, the Chair of New Testament Studies at the Department of Catholic Theology has hosted a Christmas lecture. This called for a secular alternative, and since December 2023, there have been two Christmas lectures: one for Christians and one for those who believe more in the five essential ingredients in Nutella. Fittingly, the debut lecture focused on a substance that is plentiful in Nutella: sugar – presented here as a world-historical drama in five acts. The event featured candlelight, seasonally appropriate baked goods, and a hefty dose of rhetorical bombast. It wasn’t exam-relevant, but it was an experience. And perhaps – hopefully! – this will someday become the Bochum cult lecture that anyone who studied history in Bochum simply must have experienced.

The next performance will take place on Thursday, December 19, at 10 a.m. c.t. in lecture hall HGA 20. There will once again be snacks, a festive atmosphere, and a five-act drama on a topic related to the upcoming holidays. I won’t reveal more.

What’s better than a good book? Exactly: talking about it with intelligent people. That’s why, at the start of my first semester at RUB, I organized an event where I, along with Tina Asmussen and Sandra Maß, discussed new books on the history of capitalism. The faculty liked it so much that they are planning a follow-up in the upcoming winter semester 2024/25 – details to follow here soon. All staff and students interested in historical topics are invited. The idea is to have an open and possibly controversial discussion about interesting books once a year, to explore new topics and get to know our colleagues. And perhaps we’ll come up with a better name for it than "Book Club."

For a history degree, you’ll read a lot of books, write term papers, and maybe snack on some cookies during the Christmas lecture. All well and good, but hey – that won’t get you fit. That’s where a bit of exercise comes in, and since sports are more fun with others, on June 27, 2024, a team of historians took part in the AOK corporate run at Kemnade Lake for the first time: the world premiere of the team "HIOB – Historians of Bochum."

This corporate run is advertised by the organizers with the usual late-capitalist fanfare: "Combining work and sports," "Team spirit," "Running for a good work atmosphere." Team HIOB stands for a realistic view of the world and the 5.5-kilometer run, and is therefore under the biblical motto from Job 2:13: "... for they saw that his pain was very great." With this, we can also make our mark against the theologians on the upper floors of the GA building. You’ll discover further meanings of this Bible verse at a solid pace the day after the event.

And as befits the course of history: it always moves forward. There will be another corporate run in Bochum in 2025, and once again a HIOB team. More information about the date and registration will be available here in the spring.