Television in Germany had only recently become colorful and was still getting by with three channels when some Munich residents asked themselves the question in 1972: What is the “daily non-stop program” doing to us and our society? In a ten-part course at the municipal adult education center (MVHS) called “Television: a closer look” they took a close look at the Tagesschau, the series “High Chaparral” and the show “Spiel ohne Grenz” and asked questions like: “Informs the Tagesschau really, does it allow active thinking?” And: “Do family series advertise for home sweet home or do they reflect everyday family conflicts?”
A small exhibition called “50 Years in the Mirror of MVHS Programs”, which can currently be seen in the new location of the facility on Claudius-Keller-Straße in Ramersdorf, is reminiscent of that course, the description of which seems funny today. The program of the summer adult education center was also presented there, which no longer includes courses on the medium of television, but breathes the current zeitgeist – for example with lectures on annexations in the 21st century and the increasing loneliness as a result of Corona or the first offer of a Ukrainian language course. The year 1972, in which the course participants argued about the news and the like, played a prominent role in the programme. The reason: At that time the Olympic Games were taking place in Munich, to which the MVHS is dedicating 50 exhibitions, guided tours and lectures on the occasion of their anniversary.
The summer VHS fills the gap between the major programs
In total, the summer adult education center, which has filled the gap between the two major programs in spring/summer and autumn/winter since 1999, includes more than 1,100 events between July 16 and the end of September. One focus this year is on introductory and intensive courses, says program manager Susanne May. “Some of them have lessons every day. Many people really take vacations to learn or consolidate a language.” The introductory courses, on the other hand, make it possible, for example, to get a taste of a language, which this time is also possible at a very special location – on the Olympic Tower. MVHS language and movement courses are held there for the first time. “This is our highest and airiest place to learn,” says Susanne May. “You can do yoga or learn a language there.”
In any case, the summer program tries to get the participants outdoors and into the countryside, says May, referring to umpteen guided tours and bike tours in Munich and the surrounding area as well as events in the courtyard of Einstein 28, in the Buchenried building on Lake Starnberg and at the youngest MVHS location in Ramersdorf, which has a cozy terrace. The city district center east has found a new home in the building since March, while the premises in the historic St. Martin Hospital in Obergiesing are being renovated. “Some visitors are a little shocked when they hear Ramersdorf,” says manager Winfried Eckardt. “We are very centrally located here and are easily accessible via the subway and two bus lines.” The MVHS has more than 30 classrooms on three floors in the building, including a large lecture hall. The house was actually only intended as an interim solution until the renovation of the St. Martin Hospital is completed in autumn 2025, says Susanne May. “But I think this location is so attractive that it will become a permanent location afterwards.”
The summer adult education center is particularly extensive this year, “also because the current pandemic situation allows us to take a deep breath before autumn comes,” says the program manager. According to her, the MVHS recorded a total of 270,000 bookings last year – 25 percent fewer than before Corona. “But that’s a comparatively good value,” emphasizes Susanne May. The aim of the facility is now to reach the number of visitors from 2019 again next year.