Tour of the exhibition Germany: memories of a nation with British Museum Director Neil MacGregor

This week we say goodbye to our Director, Neil MacGregor, who is off to pastures new in Germany. In honour of the great man here’s some never-before-seen footage of Neil in the 2014 exhibition ‘Germany: memories of a nation’. Neil authored a book and presented a Radio 4 series of the same title. Auf Wiedersehen Neil, we will miss you!
Luckily Neil is not going to spend all his time in Germany - he's also working with the British Museum and the BBC on another Radio 4 series, book and exhibition on faith and society. Watch this space...

[@emilyblack7342]

That map of coins was a stroke of genius! I can’t think of a better way to demonstrate how politically fragmented what we know today as Germany was and how much that would have impacted the average citizen living there.

[@JJONNYREPP]

Tour of the exhibition Germany: memories of a nation with British Museum Director Neil MacGregor 1101am 23.10.22 what on earth are these people talking about... the era that was the 1800's was when the unification of the various states that became germany took place... it was kindda European union without it being made much of - and does explain why Uk doesnt sit well within the EU. ahh well... most excellent. i am sorry i missed this... why did i miss this? i think i may have been homeless by then... such is life. and i think there's some irony in that...

[@MrBumslap]

Yes! But I heard on the BBC podcast of this exhibition I learned that the impact on the average person was limited as the coins of different regions generally conformed to an overall standard of value, often made clear by their size. They made the comparison with the Euro today having different markings, I couldn't help but think of the UK transition from old to new money in the 70s

[@dirkgrimminger6560]

Vielen Dank für Ihre Ausführungen. Exzellenter Vortrag und auch beim zweiten Zuhören - ein Gewinn. Ihnen einen schönen Tag.

[@TheTuubster]

Very educational! I think many museums should at least do one video version of one of their tours and put it online after the exhibition.

[@AKAHEIZER]

I enjoyed the PODCAST quite a bit, every single episode of it.

[@jenshaga4256]

A wonderful presentation of an important part of European history and legacy. Better knowledge of history will create a better world. Thank you.

[@bigfan2710]

Fabulous that this exhibition has been saved on KZbin. I remember visiting this.

[@ReggaeRoadblock]

Thank you very much for this video! I was born in Güstrow and it always amazed me how a small and poor city like that is so well known all over Germany. To see now that this city is also known in Britain and that it is actually a big part of this exhibition is just wonderful. If I ever visit London again i will visit this museum for sure.

[@heinoscho]

Excellent exhibition! Well curated and explained. Says a German living in Ireland.

[@michaeljasterfotografie3985]

Dankeschön für den Beitrag , Grüße aus Düsseldorf Germany

[@darklingeraeld-ridge7946]

How touching the story of Barlach's sculpture...... a good one of hope, and such a fine image, for this difficult time, also.

[@irenechoe]

An amazing journey into the past and present and a glimpse into the future!

[@ElinT13]

Extraordinary and very educational exhibition, and beautifully and sensitively explained! Thank you so much!

[@chris8949]

Thank you for the brilliant presentation and exibition...

[@mariadewey4369]

I am learning and enjoying so much with your videos. My respect and admiration from San José, Costa Rica.

[@zagrebblues9894]

Fantastic video! It's things like these that KZbin was invented for.

[@MuckingMunt]

but lost for the most part because of monetisation … 😒

[@sahondraniaina6214]

Great history. I've learn a lot. Peace for all. Thanks

[@NeonsStyleHD]

Thankyou. That was fascinating. I hope you do more of these tours of the BM. Absolutely fascinating, watched it all the way through. More please.

[@michael57603]

I'm really looking forward to reading Neil's book. I've been living in Germany for two years and this seems to be an interesting way to explain the country's history.

[@iantubeism]

In case it's not been posted here, MacGregor has also written a fascinating book (same name) packed with illustrations.

[@mwbgallery]

Excellent presentation, thank you.

[@Pindi44]

What an extraordginarily gifted and charming person Sir Neil Macgregor is, if you are not familiar with his broadcasts on BBC Radio 4, then do look them up, absolutely fascinating!

[@jkr9594]

absolutley. and his german pronunciation si pretty solid aswell. (:

[@adolflenin4973]

@@jkr9594 I see many indians post negative comments about British Museum on youtube

[@dfrankpgh]

This was a great journey through this exhibit. I hope the British Museum does more of these.

[@Sekire1]

Great Video. Great way of distributing knowledge as a museum.

[@VoidUnderTheSun]

That was very interesting. The exhibition seems wonderfully intriguing.

[@frantastika]

Thank you for this video. The exhibition was fascinating and this gentleman a formidable host!

[@lewisenim6158]

Fascinating! Thank you very much for the upload.

[@rippspeck]

What a great tour! Vielen Dank!

[@duniel3000]

Short, but nothing short of excellent!

[@Michaelneiss]

Thanks for bestowing us with those balanced glimpses of German history -- an important task that German public broadcast service frequently fails with.

[@TheClerk89]

that was easy to listen to. very educational. thanks.

[@RalphMcAllister]

what a beautiful sculpture.

[@StewartChaimson]

Wow, thank you!

[@mingoli52]

Absolutely fantastic. I'm touched . Congratulations, Andrea, Rome.

[@PeaceLoveHonor]

This is incredible. Thank you for creating such a wonderful video.

[@icexiro]

It is super awesome!!

[@miguelrosario3935]

wow,i love the history of Germany now.

[@germaniatv1870]

What you see here in the video is not even the half of German history.

[@fgdj2000]

This guy single handedly sparked my interest in history. Not that was exactly disinterested, but I never quite figured out a proper entry. His radio programs are on Audible and come highly recommended.

[@BlessedFigTree]

Superb! Thank you.

[@hansmeyer7225]

Thank you for uploading this! Greetings from Germany :)

[@passportazul]

Just stumbled across this. This is fantastic.

[@sabrina7241]

This video came up as recomendation. Being from Germany I was curious about what kind of exhibition the Museum had created in the past about my country. I really enjoyed the video. In my opinion it was a well rounded tour through the history with interessting objects shown.

[@marinacotsterreu]

Very interesting and educational. Thank you for this wonderful explanation! :)

[@brinx8634]

I enjoyed it, thank you.

[@mastergeebo]

Very nicely done. Keep up the good work. =)

[@passedhighschoolphysics6010]

Brilliant!

[@Pindi44]

If only our politicians were as clever, knowledgable, and intelligent as Sir Neil, instead of the corrupt clowns who are in charge throughout the world, then the world might be saved from the pending and several disasters awaiting us.

[@apocalipsereich6997]

I admire Germany so much, that even being from the Caribbean, I consider those memories as mine too ❤️❤️❤️

[@AdamSloan2]

Anyone interested in this exhibition and the history of Germany, please read Sir MacGregor's book on the topic. It was a pleasure to read.

[@andreavalenti6682]

excellent video!

[@michael_177]

incredible, i actually learned a lot

[@Nikolausi26]

Very interesting. We should make the same in a German museum about English history. We call that "Völkerverständigung" ( international understanding)

[@dntodo6749]

Very interesting, and illuminating. I could never understand why modern Germans still go on about the Holy Roman Emperors - but thanks to Neil MacGregor I feel so much more empathy for them. Two niggles. The Germans didn't invent printing. And also - there is only one Catholic Church, so a 'Roman' Catholic is a catholic who lives in Rome. A German Catholic lives in Germany. I know the Anglican church is trying to create an impression of continuity with the period before Henry, but they're Anglicans, not Catholics. Might as well call them 'Westminister catholics'.

[@robertschrum5496]

At minute maker 13:13 re: Goethe, in Deutschland, back in time, plz explain what was the meaning of two (2) left feet? In some countries, shoes were constructed to fit either foot. Was the custom of a universal shoe in effect on the Eurasian continent at the time of this painting? Thx for expanding our horizons. Salute!

[@BennysRadio]

A better capture of German history than in my German school xD

[@Microtubui]

thank you for showing this. germany are not only WWII and nazis

[@karlosthejackel69]

History without Germany could fit on a postage stamp

[@arbonne1805]

@@karlosthejackel69 What a bizarre thing to say.

[@karlosthejackel69]

@@arbonne1805 Germany is so influential across the world, and look how many of the better countries are made of early Germanic tribes.

[@arbonne1805]

@@karlosthejackel69 'Better' is extremely subjective. Yes, Germany has been very influencial, but not to the extent that other countries' influence can be consigned to a postage stamp. Many cultures have shaped our world. And don't forget, those early Germanic tribes came from places like Southern Sweden and the Celtic lands. History is a constant migration.

[@karlosthejackel69]

@@arbonne1805 yes ‘better’, my good can’t you people go 5 minutes without being offended ffs

[@Phusthojlsq]

In 13:15, I am not convinced that the two feet are both left and the difference between the length of two legs. I find that the left leg is entirely seperated from the rest of the body and placed further. The right leg wears a confused shoe and is in an akward position, similar to the left one. If you notice the malleolus, we can tell those legs are right in theirs own sake.

[@tjyc1]

Really wanna play some EU4 now :P

[@TheVinccc]

+tjyc1 Yeah me too ;P or Civilization V^^

[@einfrankfurter3520]

+tjyc1 Or Victoria 2

[@ordercom8567]

+Deutscher Bundesdemokrat or hearts of iron 3

[@tjyc1]

+(ordercom) Not embarked on that yet, EU4 took me long enough to learn :P

[@Igbarash]

This channel is one of the few reasons I haven't killed myself yet. Please keep doing what you're doing British Museum! Give us hope that education matters and that people care.

[@akibismarck8230]

Usually you would pay like 30 bucks but here you get a free tour

[@Stadtpark90]

3:05 he says „notional control of the emperor“, while in the german subtext it says „national“

[@D37-i7r]

I have visit this exhibition.

[@christkemm8966]

i remember, i read the book

[@Phunker1]

Our Immigration Minister who is of Turkish descent said, that a German culture, outside of the language is not recognisable. Can you imagine?

[@StagHunters]

Yes. Germany was split into countless sovereign political entities for most of history, many of which had individual unique cultures linked by language and nominal subordination to the holy Roman emperor.

[@CondemnedInformer]

Germany's immigration minister is Turkish? That is a great irony. Hopefully, you remove someone like that from power swiftly, democratically Germany! Democratically. (Just joking).

[@karlosthejackel69]

@@CondemnedInformer UK immigration ministers haven’t been European for some time now. We have been conquered by political correctness

[@bernardmcavoy1864]

One exhibition at the British Museum will not change attitudes in the UK towards Germany.

[@deiviance]

Some questionable focal depth in the camerawork. I want to see the objects for the few minutes they are presented, not Neil. (still thumbs up)

[@hkkhgffh3613]

Booyakashah! Respect! Check it out! And for da future: STAY STRAIGHT STAY CLEAN!

[@rentenfuchs3025]

Sorry, I don't like be Beckmesserian but feel compelled to offer a correction: 16:19 The great German hyperinflation which influences German economic thinking to this day actually ended 1923 with the total collapse of German currency.

[@maxgh1234]

he looks oddly similar looking to Jan Böhmermann:)

[@unvergebeneid]

Goethes colour theory was a bit bonkers though to be honest. Funny then that _Zur Farbenlehre_ was the work he was the most proud of.

[@TheNovalis666]

+Penny Lane the point is, that the Farbenlehre was not something he want to convince others with, it was pure aesthetics and his very own impressions and thoughts of colors, and not really the work what he was most proud of

[@unvergebeneid]

TheNovalis666 What makes you say that? Here's what he's said himself about this: "Auf alles, was ich als Poet geleistet habe, bilde ich mir gar nichts ein. Es haben treffliche Dichter mit mir gelebt, es lebten vortreffliche vor mir, und es werden ihrer nach mir sein. Daß ich aber in meinem Jahrhundert in der schwierigen Wissenschaft der Farbenlehre der einzige bin, der das Rechte weiß, darauf tue ich mir etwas zugute, und ich habe daher ein Bewußtsein der Superiorität über viele."

[@maoaflo]

so , for those who don t know, the farbenlehre is proven wrong by isaac newton! but nevertheless it is one of the most regarding kinds of german litrature!

[@jeremypascall]

East Germany was not communist, but socialist.

[@germaniatv1870]

Created by Soviet Communists with support of the British crown. Communism.

[@causewaykayak]

Very political.

[@karlosthejackel69]

German children are an ethnic minority in their own land. Maybe this video is irrelevant

[@rcrinsea]

Actually, the Chinese invented printing, as well as paper.

[@DarkPsy]

No, they did not. We are talking about the book press. While the chinese practiced printing, they had no adjustable book printing press. The chinese printing was simply carving signs into solid material, dipping it in color and then pressing them on paper. Do you recognize the difference? And paper was invented independently several times during history. Even if .... Germans conqured, colonized, civilized and developed the whole world, including China and invented 99% of all technology.

[@bernardmcavoy1864]

I wonder who paid for this exhibition? Hopefully not the British taxpayer.

[@rl7586]

Grow up and Greeting from Australia

[@bernardmcavoy1864]

@@rl7586 Explain your comment.

[@rl7586]

@@bernardmcavoy1864 Isn't it a British Museum, who would you suggest to pay for it Mate?

[@bernardmcavoy1864]

@@rl7586 I have since discovered that the funding for this exhibition actually came from Germany.

[@Grendel650]

Completely missed the culture represented, then...