Interview with Klara Jäger

From June 22 to 26, 2026, Klara Jäger completed an internship at the Research Center for Comparative History of Religious Orders (FOVOG). In this interview, she shares what particularly interests her about history, what she experienced during her internship, and what she enjoyed most. The interview was conducted by Laura-Marie Lang.

Please introduce yourself briefly. What interests you most about history? What is your favorite historical period, and what exactly interests you about it?

I’m Klara, 16 years old, and I completed a one-week internship at the Research Center for Comparative History of Religious Orders. I’m generally very interested in history, especially women’s history. That’s why the 20th century is my favorite era—I’m particularly fascinated by the evolution of women’s roles and their history.

What were your expectations for the internship, and were they met?

Before the internship, my main hope was to gain insight into the day-to-day work of a historian and to see how things work at a research center. That hope was definitely fulfilled. I was welcomed very warmly, and I found the team to be friendly and dedicated. During the week, I was able to gain a lot of new experiences and learn a great deal.

Which aspects of a historian’s work were you able to explore during your internship? What was the highlight of your internship?

I was able to get a taste of many different aspects of a historian’s work and gained insight into various projects at the research center. I particularly enjoyed the Helfta Project. The topic interested me greatly because so much of it remains unexplored, and new insights can be gained time and again. I also helped with inventory work, accompanied staff members to the university, and read medieval documents. I found one document particularly fascinating—it concerned the donation of two farms to a monastery for the salvation of a family’s souls.

Did the internship help you with your career planning?

The internship also helped me with my career planning. I’m not yet sure if I want to study history later on, because I’m interested in so many different things. Still, I learned a lot about the degree program and everyday life at the university. For example, before this, I couldn’t imagine how a degree program was structured. Now I know that you largely put together your own class schedule. Overall, the internship was a very valuable experience for me, giving me good insight into the profession and the study of history.