2024 Field School: Remembrance as Reconciliation

Synopsis and tentative programme of the Field School.

Konstanz' students will find further information about coursework and credit requirements in the course description in ZEuS. 

Guelph students have to discuss the coursework requirements with Dr. Jade Ferguson. 

Konstanz is easily reached by train. The main station is called "Konstanz Hauptbahnhof".

The closest airport to Konstanz is Zurich Airport (ZRH, Switzerland), where you may take a train to Konstanz Hauptbahnhof. Trains leave every half hour and take between 1 h 9 min (direct trains) and 1 h 23 min (1 change) to Konstanz. Train timetables may be found on the website of the Schweizer Bundesbahnen (Swiss national train service). Choose "Zürich Flughafen" as starting point and "Konstanz, Bahnhof" as destination. You can either book a train ticket through this website, or you can buy it at a ticket automat at the "Zürich Flughafen" station. 

An alternative airport would be Stuttgart Airport (STR). Depending on the connection, it would take between 2 h 47 min and 3 h 27 min to get from Stuttgart to Konstanz by train with 2-3 changes. Train timetables may be looked up and tickets booked through the website of the Deutsche Bahn (German railway). Choose "Stuttgart Flughafen/Messe" as starting point and "Bahnhof, Konstanz" as destination. 

Munich Airport (MUC) is also a possibility. Depending on the connection, it would take 4-5 hours to get to Konstanz by train with 2-5 changes. Train timetables may be looked up and tickets booked through the website of the Deutsche Bahn (German railway). Choose "Müchen Flughafen Terminal" as starting point and "Bahnhof, Konstanz" as destination. 
A faster way to get from Munich to Konstanz with only one change is the long-distance bus. You would have to take a train from the airport to the central bus station in Munich "München ZOB Hackerbrücke". From there you can take a direct bus to Konstanz that takes 3 h 45 min. Bus timetables may be looked up and tickets booked through the website of the Flixbus company. 

Yet alternatively, you could also fly into Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and take a train to Konstanz. Depending on the type of connection, the trip would take between 4 and 6 hours. Train timetables may be looked up and tickets booked through the website of the Deutsche Bahn (German railway). Choose "Frankfurt (Main) Flugh" as starting point and "Bahnhof, Konstanz" as destination. 

By paying the mandatory tourist tax in the hostel/hotel, all participants will receive a Bodensee Card West valid for public transport in and around Konstanz. However, you will only receive your Bodensee Card West after checking in to the hostel/hotel, so for your first bus ride to the Youth Hostel, you will need to purchase a single ticket. Tickets can be purchased directly with the driver and they can only be payed in cash (€ 2,90). Alternatively, tickets can also be purchased in the Mein Konstanz app. 

How to get to the Youth Hostel from

– the main train station "Hauptbahnhof"
– the central bus station "Fernbusbahnhof" (Europabrücke) 
– the bus station "Allmannsdorf"

If you arrive in Konstanz by train: Travelling from the main train station to the Youth Hostel

Either, you take any bus from "Bahnhof" (main train station) to "Sternenplatz" and change into bus 4/13, get off at "Jugendherberge" and walk the rest of the way to the Youth Hostel, OR
from the main train station you walk to "Stephansschule" to catch the 4/13 directly, get off at "Jugendherberge" and take the short walk to the Youth Hostel.

If you arrive in Konstanz by long-distance bus: Travelling from the central bus station or from the bus stop "Allmannsdorf" to the Youth Hostel

If you take a long-distance bus that stops at the central bus station "Fernbusbahnhof" (Europabrücke), you can take the bus 4/13 from "Neue Rheinbrücke" to "Sternenplatz/Spanierstraße", go through the underpass to the bus stop "Sternenplatz" and change in another bus 4/13 that takes you to "Jugendherberge". From there it is only a short walk to the Youth Hostel. 

If your long-distance bus stops at "Allmannsdorf" (the Flixbus from Munich usually does this), it is recommendable to get out there. From there it is only a 13 minute walk to the Youth Hostel, or you can take the bus 4/13 for one stop. 

Travelling from the Youth Hostel to the University

Get onto the bus 4/13 at "Jugendherberge" (where you got off at your arrival), busses leave at X.12 and X:42. Get off at "Egg/Universität", one stop later. From there, walk up the hill and cross the wooden bridge, looking at the university building. You enter the university at building part G 1 and make your way to the seminar room (on day one of the seminar period, we will wait for you at the entrance to G 1 and guide you).

Konstanz is a holiday destination and accommodation quite expensive. This is why rooms have been reserved for the Canadian students. 

From 26 May - 3 June 2024 the participants will be accommodated in the Youth Hostel Konstanz: 

• shared rooms of 4-6 people
• bunk beds
• 1 bathroom per room
• bed linen included, towels not! They can be rented for a fee or you can bring them yourself (there is laundromat and drier at the hostel)
• full pension (breakfast, lunch box and dinner included); dinner is served from 6-7 p.m. every evening
• check-in from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• latest check-in possibility: 7:30 p.m.
• Please bring: towels, a reusable lunch box (as you will pack the lunch box yourself during breakfast), a reusable water bottle (tap water is safe to drink in Germany, no need to buy bottled water). 
• Take note of the hostel's house rules. 

From 3 June - 6 June 2024 the participants will be accommodated in the Gästehaus Hotel Centro: 

• shared rooms of 3-5 people
• 1 bathroom per room
• breakfast included

In this map of Konstanz you will find important locations (bus stops, programme locations) as well as suggestions for extracurricular activities (sights, parks). 

Big chain stores (supermarkets etc.) accept credit card payment, more and more medium and also smaller sized shops also offer cashless payment. However, there are still a few locations where only cash payment is accepted or where credit card payment is only possible from a minimum amount due (e.g. € 10). Therefore, it is recommendable to have at least some cash in smaller bills with you. 

Konstanz is located right at the border to Switzerland, from Konstanz you can easily walk to Switzerland. However, make sure to have your passport with you, as this is an official national border after all!
If you plan to explore the city of Kreuzlingen (Swiss city at the border), be prepared to pay in a different currency – Switzerland doesn't use euros, but Swiss francs. 

Stores are closed on Sundays and on public holidays (30 May is a public holiday!), except for some smaller gift shops in touristy areas. If you need things from the supermarket, drugstore or pharmacy, make sure to buy them on other days. 

It is each participant’s personal responsibility to make sure they are well and fully covered with health, accident and liability insurance during their stay.

Nevertheless, we strongly recommend that you get in touch with your insurance company to check whether or not you would have to add anything to your police in order to be well-covered during your stay with us. When doing so, please also enquire whether or not your insurance policy would cover a transport home during a pandemic. In the past two years we had to learn (with our own outgoing students) that a lot of policies actually rule out this scenario.

We need to emphasise that participants will not be insured through the University of Konstanz for the duration of their stay with us. As our short-term visitors will not be enrolled as students, the university will not cover any insurance aspects for our participants.

Phone numbers in case of emergency

Fire department and medical emergencies: 112

Police department: 110

Medical on-call duty (outside of usual doctor's consultation hours, for medical issues that are not emergencies, but cannot wait until consultation hours): 116117