“Every historical event has many truths”: Australian students of German staging German history

In this article we reflect on a theatre production about World War I staged by university students of German in Melbourne, Australia. The project was conceptualised by German language program academics and postgraduate students. The project explored WWI using German cultural and historical primary sources. We find that students perceived a range of benefits as individuals and learners of German as a foreign language and culture through their participation in the project. In terms of improved understanding of German history, we argue that taking on a foreign – German – perspective allowed for the acquisition of nuanced historical and cultural knowledge.