On Monday 13th November, we were delighted to once again welcome Angela Findlay, an Anglo-German writer and artist, to College. Angela reflected on her experiences growing up in Britain in the 1960s and 70s with an English father and a German mother.
Angela described the torment she felt through being connected to Second World War Germany, and having a grandfather who fought for the Wehrmacht army and who was a highly decorated soldier. The theme of transgenerational trauma was key to her lecture, as it had ultimately led Angela to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps to Russia and Germany.
She wanted to discover more about him, attempting to understand him better and feel closer to him, as well as deal with her own personal feelings and sense of guilt over her connection to a difficult period in Germany’s history.
Angela’s talk was inspiring and encouraged reflection on how all of us deal with our families’ pasts. Students and staff alike were captivated by Angela’s story and its wider implications, and we are excited to host Angela again in the future.
Angela's career has included teaching art in prisons in Germany, which then led her into years of research into her German roots and fighting feelings of unresolved guilt and shame. For her research, Angela used her grandfather's letters and diaries, as well traveling to Russia, where her grandfather had been stationed.
This confounding expedition helped Angela to gain inner peace and understanding that she has been searching for from a very young age. I found it especially captivating when she talked about her trip back to Russia with her mother and the moment of finally discovering the emotional and spiritual truth after years of living in confusion.
Afterwards, she continued her life as an artist and uses art as a way to share her opinions and spread the post-war remembrance. Angela wrote her own book - "In My Grandfather's Shadow", published in 2022, where she talks about her experiences. She urged people to still remember and learn from the actions of the previous generations. Truly, it was a talk that will be remembered and contemplated long after its conclusion.
Katya, UC5
Dr Woolstenhulme, Teacher of Religious Studies and Philosophy and Teacher in charge of Academic Scholarship: Enrichment
