Aspect of „human autonomy“ in historical learning
(Villa Ten Hompel – Münster, Germany)
The Villa ten Hompel offers historical and political experiences and insights in the context of a
multifaceted culture. It is also is offering a pedagogical program which, among other offers, includes
projects against right-wing extremism and racism, workshops on democracy, trips to several memorial
places, lendable “historical suitcases” as well as didactic material on several topics. For 15 Years now
the Villa has made experiences with police members as visitors. By using the exhibition and in special
programs we are trying to aim the work in empowering to “human autonomy”. Facing the history
historical could evoke impulses to the visitor. Policewomen and policemen should get a possibility
to use the local message in a multiperspective, discursive and perhaps controversially way. Historical
learning at the very example of their own professional history in the national socialism should at the
end strengthen the „human autonomy“ as a competence how to orient his own actions on the scale
of human rights and perhaps check their all-day professional life up to self-critically refl ections. Finally
it could be possible to allow a personal vision of a ‘good’ and adequate behavior in the job in future,
based on a sensitive reflection on the past.
