Where in the world is Sebastian Heiduschke? Germany | OSU Today

Sebastian Heiduschke is a professor of German in the School of Language, Culture, and Society in the College of Liberal Arts. He returns to his native country of Germany every year to continue his research into East German cinema. Here he shares about his most recent trip home.

Where were you working?

My most recent research trip took me to Rostock, in the northern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) in Germany. 

What language(s) are spoken there?

Most people speak German (the northern German dialect variants), some also Plattdeutsch (Low German).

City harbor in Rostock, Germany.

What is the focus of your work?

I research film history of East German cinema between the years of 1946-1990; my most recent publication is a book about East German documentary cinema. I find it fascinating to unearth how cinematic arts functioned in a dictatorship. Often, we believe that all films made in dictatorships were propaganda pieces. But once you start looking deeper, you find hidden messages, criticism on the politics or the state of things, that East German audiences picked up on and probably enjoyed seeing how filmmakers were able to get these through the censorship apparatus. In addition, East German cinema created counternarratives to West German cinema. For instance, civil rights activist Angela Davis and musician Paul Robeson were iconic figures in East Germany, celebrated in documentaries and newsreels. 

How much time have you spent there? 

This was my first time in Rostock; I was there from May 23-June 3 this year. Most of the time, I do research in and around Berlin, but I have also conducted research in the areas near the Polish border. 

The main building at the University of Rostock.

What’s the best German food you’ve eaten? 

Fischbrötchen (fish rolls) at the Traditionskutter Rostock. This is fast food German-style, different types of herring from the Baltic Sea ocean on a roll, with apples and onion. Rostock is on the Baltic Sea and boasts outstanding seafood. You buy the rolls straight from the boat, along with a fresh pils from the keg.

What’s the most non-touristy thing you’ve done? 

The Baltic Sea has amazing sand beaches. East Germans were (and still are) known for FKK (Freikörperkultur) Strände. which is best translated as “nudist beach.” Back in the days when East Germany was its own country, the German Democratic Republic, citizens went to the beaches and stripped down in opposition to the prudish leaders of the Socialist Unity Party. The party tried to ban nude beaches – but citizens simply did not care and continued to take off their clothes. Eventually, FKK became legal.

What’s an important phrase in the local language? 

“Einen Schnitt, bitte,” from Franconia in Southern Germany. It tells the waitstaff that this is your last beer of the night. It does not get filled all the way and is cheaper.

Another that is very timely: “Lewer drög Brot in’n Fräden, as Kauken un Braden in Striet.” “Rather dry bread in peace than cake and roast in quarrel.” 

What’s the biggest challenge of working there?

In Rostock, probably the language. I am a native speaker of German, but from Bavaria, which is Southern Germany. We have a hard time understanding Northern Germans. The dialect is different, and we also use different vocabulary for some things.

Besides family, what do you most miss from home when you return to the U.S.? 

Certain candy that I can only get in Germany. 

What piece of advice would you give others who might travel there?

Be open to new things, embrace the different culture. And try a “Wegbier” – it’s the name for a beer you drink in public while on your way home or going somewhere. There are no open-container laws in Germany so you can drink in public.