Episode 40: Shared scars, shared future - Urban Conversations: Dresden-Coventry

In our 40th episode, our podcast series YOU ASK we explain - Fear of contact with science is dedicated to the exchange between Dresden and Coventry

Dresden and Coventry are linked by an image that has become indelibly inscribed in the collective memory of both cities: the image of destruction. And yet these destructions are not simply juxtaposed. They mark two historical events that are causally linked - one cannot be understood without the other.

The air raids on Coventry in November 1940, the 85th anniversary of which was celebrated at the end of last year, were a turning point in the Second World War. They not only changed the face of the city, but also shaped its attitude towards its own history. Dresden suffered a similar fate a few years later - with different circumstances, different after-effects and a different culture of remembrance.

To this day, the victims are commemorated annually in both cities. In Coventry, however, this commemoration is inextricably linked to a special legacy: the conscious act of forgiveness. The newly built cathedral stands not only as an architectural symbol of reconstruction, but also as a place for an attitude of reconciliation. Anyone entering this space quickly senses that forgiveness is not demanded here, but offered - and that it is up to us to accept this offer.

The podcast in the TU Lectures Plus series picks up on this common yet contradictory story. In the format You ask - we explain, historical lines, personal perspectives and current questions are linked together. The focus is on exchange: How do these experiences continue to have an impact today? What responsibility do future generations bear? And what happens when different perspectives merge?

It is precisely in this dialog that the value of the Dresden-Coventry exchange lies: not in comparing suffering, but in thinking together about memory, responsibility and the future.

When: 12.02.2026, 19.00-20.15 hrs

Where: Raskolnikoff, Böhmische Straße 34, 01099 Dresden

Our Advisors:

• Tine & Günter Starke - Photographer(link)

• Nikolai Press - Alumni Ambassador for Coventry(Link)

• Sabine Coady Schaebitz - Coventry University, author of the book "Heritage and Democracy - Introductory Thoughts"(Link)

• Rainer Barczaitis - Coventry coordinator, translator(Link)

Photo reference

Photographs and videos will be taken during this event. The photos will be used for the press and public relations work of the TUD and the other participants. If necessary, photos will also be passed on to third parties for reporting purposes. By participating in the event, you agree that photos of you may be used for publications in print and online media, including social media.

This project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the Free State of Saxony as part of the Excellence Strategy of the Federal and State governments.