The Exhibition “Roads not Taken. Or: Things Could Have Turned Out Differently.” This exhibition at the Deutsches Historisches Museum explores key turning points in German history by reconstructing the causes and circumstances of major events, and also examining alternative outcomes that were possible but did not occur. The exhibit’s very premise reflects the German logic of analyzing contingencies, actions, and omissions to understand why history unfolded as it did.
All Quiet on the Western Front
Im Westen nichts Neues. (All Quiet on the Western Front, 2022). This Oscar-winning adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s novel presents World War I from a German soldier’s perspective. The film meticulously reconstructs the horrors and motivations of war, focusing on the evidence of human suffering, bureaucratic decision-making, and the negotiations leading to the armistice. Its narrative avoids stereotypes and instead seeks to understand the causes and consequences of conflict through detailed, fact-based storytelling.
Baader Meinhof
Der Baader Meinhof Komplex. (The Baader Meinhof Complex, 2008). This film examines the rise of the Red Army Faction (RAF), a left-wing terrorist group in 1970s Germany. Through investigative sequences, archival materials, and a focus on the motivations and societal conditions that led to radicalization, the film reconstructs the circumstances behind the violence. It provides a multi-faceted, evidence-driven exploration of why such a movement emerged.
Das letzte Schweigen
Das letzte Schweigen (The Silence, 2010). A crime thriller where a girl’s disappearance echoes a decades-old unsolved murder. The film follows detectives as they meticulously gather evidence, revisit past testimonies, and reconstruct the sequence of events. The narrative is structured around the gradual revelation of facts, mirroring the German logic of resolving conflict through objective investigation and analysis.
German Reunification
The reunification of East and West Germany is a landmark case of conflict resolution managed through careful negotiation, legal frameworks, and evidence-based policymaking. The process involved extensive documentation, transparent communication, and step-by-step integration of political, economic, and legal systems. While not mediated by a single agency, the approach relied on traditional German strengths: methodical problem-solving, inclusion of multiple stakeholders, and a commitment to transparency and rule of law.
auf den Grund gehen
Den Dingen auf den Grund gehen. Translation: Get to the bottom of things. Meaning: Investigate thoroughly to understand the real reasons behind a conflict or problem.
The Broken Jug
Heinrich von Kleist – Der zerbrochne Krug (The Broken Jug, 1808). This classic play centers on a village court case in which a judge must determine who broke a jug belonging to a local woman. The entire plot revolves around the careful reconstruction of events, examination of evidence, and the search for truth through witness testimony and logical deduction. The play is a brilliant satire of the judicial process, but at its core, it exemplifies the German logic of conflict resolution: reconstructing causes, scrutinizing evidence, and striving for objective truth, even as human flaws complicate the process.
Evidence
German Approach
When resolving a conflict the German mediator focuses on reconstructing the causes and circumstances. Objective evidence is sought to answer the question: “Why did this have to happen?” Examples
American Approach
When resolving a conflict American managers see themselves more as judge than mediator. They consider both objective facts and subjective witness testimony. Examples
American View
Many conflicts are the result of non-quantifiable, nuanced, context-oriented factors. Often there is a fine line between objective and subjective information. The German approach takes into consideration only the factual evidence.
German View
The American approach is too susceptible to manipulation. Colleagues often choose sides in a conflict. Their testimony is inherently subjective.
Advice to Germans
Go beyond the literal, quantifiable facts. Talk to the folks near and/or impacted by the internal conflict. An American party to the conflict will ask and expect you to get the opinion of colleagues who see the situation they do.
To ignore that input as subjective, is to not gather all of the facts. If your team lead is an American, anticipate him/her talking to all sorts of folks in the organization in order to get as complete a picture as possible. Line up your references.
Advice to Americans
If you lead Germans, go ahead and interview folks near and impacted by the conflict. But be sure to start with the facts. Otherwise, your approach could be misperceived as relying too much or exclusively on hearsay.
If your German boss is involved, avoid suggesting that he/she talk to folks who support your point of view. That could be perceived as attempting undue influence on the process.