REPORT
ABOUT THE RESEARCH IN GEORGE ECKERT INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL
TEXTBOOK RESEARCH
TIRANA, MAY 6, 2014
Prepared by: FATMIROSHE XHEMALAJ
Author of History Textbooks and Ancillary Materials for students "How to learn
history"(workbook)
Resident:
Tirana , Albania.
ADDRESS
Street “Maliq Muça”
Pall 46, shk 1, ap 13
To: Georg Eckert Institute for
International Textbook Research.
Celler Straße 3
38114 Braunschweig
Germany
My working language: English
Time duration of my stay in the institute : April 14 to April 25, 2014
TOPIC: My research was done about the pre-university education history textbooks on some
European countries and American history textbooks for the twentieth century world history.
The aims:
1. To recognize how history textbooks were written, in terms of methodical side (adaptation
to the age of pupils, how pedagogical apparatus was built, how were used in history
textbooks historical sources, both written and figurative illustrations etc.)
2. To understand how historians have treated, from the academically side, historical events of the
twentieth century.
3. To compare the attitude of history textbooks authors (the countries under study) to twentieth
century historical events to that of Albanian authors for these events.
4. To adjudicate, in a comparative way, the way of writing history textbooks and treatment of
historical events of twentieth century for the countries in the study.
5. To assure a good project on the design of new history textbooks for pre-university education,
where the prevailing messages of understanding, in whose foundations to stand the principle that
human beings are the most precious of our blue planet.
Work during my stay at GEI
I. Under the proposed project before, I saw these history textbooks:
1. Exploring history 1 "Age of imperialism" , for bilingual classes SII, PH-Westermann,
published on 2012 year, ISBN 978-3-14-111102-6, author Martin Teluk
2. Exploring history II, for bilingual Classes, PH-Westermann, authors ROLF J.KROGER, DR.
DEANNA NEBERT, BARBARA NERLICH, THOMAS SOHRNSEN
The First WW, 1914-1918, for bilingua schools, published on 2007 yera, autPH- Cornelsen
Verlag ISBN 978-3-464-31066-3
3. Geschichte und Geschehen, bilingual -20th century, PH-KLETT (Ernst Klett Verlag)
Stuttgart-Leipzig, published on 2008 year, authors, Katharina Bischoff, Rolf Theis, Susanne
Thimmann -Verhey, Franz-Josef Wallmeier, Robert Werkmann
4. "Invitation to History", vol 2, "From the end of WWI to the age of globalization", PHCornelsen; author Erabeiter von Ulrike Flach-Këln, Silke Lehmacher- Monheim; Oliver TaukeKëln, Annegret Weeke-Dusselldorf
Didakttische, Manfre Wildhage, Braunschwieg, published on 2010 year, ISBN 978-3-0632225-1
5. TOPIC BOOK, Imperialism, focus on Grand Britain and Germany, PH- KLETT (Ernst Klett
Verlag) Stuttgart-Leipzig, author, DR. Susanne Thimann-Verhey
6. TOPIC BOOK TWO, Inter -War Europe, 1918-1939, PH - KLETT (Ernst Klett Verlag) StuttgartLeipzig, author DR. JAN KULOK
7. THE WORLD - A HISTORY, PH- PEARSON, published on 2013, author FELIPE FERNANDEZARMESTO, UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME, COMBINED VOLUME, USA.
8. World history, Ideologies, Structures and Identities, edited by Philip Pomper Richard
H.Elphick, Richard T.Vann
Clarisse Georges, Jean Pierre Gross, Candice Micheli
9. MODERN WORLD - HISTORY B, published on 2009, author ALEX BRODKIN,ELLEN CARRINGTON,
REW HILL, RICHARD KERRIDGE, GREG LACEY, BILL MARRIOTT, PHAUSE HEINEMANN
10. The twentieth history century world, Peter&Mary Speed, Oxford
11. History-geography, 2 de classes europeennes, PH- hatier, authors Christine Duvivier,
12. United States History, PH-Holt, California Social studies, authors William Deverell,
Deborah Gray White.
13. 20th Century World History, course companion, PH- Oxford University Press, authors,
Martin Cannon, Richard Jones-Nerzicorld, David Keys, Alexis Mamaux, michael miller, Giles
Pope, David Smith, Aidan Williams
14. Modern World, history B, PH-OCR GCSE, authors, Alex Brodkin, Ellen Carrington, Andrew
Hill, Richard Kerridge, Greg Lacey, Bill Marriott
II. My presentation on " The Situation of History teaching in Albania. Preparation and
publication of history textbooks", to GEI.
III. Meetings:
1. With Mr. Fuchs and Litchofschy about "Iimproving students' historical education in
Albania, through improved the situation of school history textbooks- Draft proposal
projects"
2. With the staff of Mr. Herry to verify and filled some dates for the preparation and publication
of history textbooks in Albania and to be familiar with the work of the publishing sector in
Edumere Department.
IV. On Sunday, 20 April 2014, visit to historical sites and institutions of the city of
Braunschweig.
V. On Wednesday, 23 Aprile 2014, participation at special joint “Stammtisch” (regulars’
table) between the TU Braunschweig and the GEI, a brief tour of the GEI library and dinner in the
restaurant Bossanova under the direction of Mrs. Martina Schulze.
VI. During my staying in gest-house, and my work in the library I met gests like Vahida, from Serbia,
Minna, from Finland; library and internet employees.
Preliminary results
I. About history textbooks :
Their Didactical hand.
1. History textbooks, from the didactical hand impose the pupils and teachers an active process of
learning history. This is proven by the pedagogical apparatus (as a way of questioning, the tasks for
pupils) practical activities, tests, use of written historical sources and illustrations maps etc.
The questions were structured in such a way that allow the active participation of all levels of
students in the learning process . Questions demanding not only information about historical events ,
but also the connections with the present, analysis , interpretations and critical judgments etc .
2 . Historical knowledges were given in compliance with the age of the pupils and with a simple
language for them. ex. In history textbooks of Germany, the world history and the history of
Germany was given integrated, highlighting the role of Germany and vice versa in these events. 1 .
Historical knowledges were given in compliance with the age of the pupils and with a simple
language for them. ex. In history textbooks of Germany, the world history and the history of
Germany was given integrated, highlighting the role of Germany and vice versa in these events.
The treatment of historical events of the twentieth century in the history textbooks with whom I
worked compared with the treatment of these events in the history textbooks in Albania.
1. The treatment of historical events of XXth Century, in the history textbooks that I have listed
above, is generally correlated with treatment that Albanian authors make for this period. Authors
have similar approaches on such historical phenomena of twentieth century such as the essence of
fascism, nazism, communism, evaluation of historical personalities , Cold War etc.
Are there inconsistencies in the treatment of historical events of XX th century?
I can say that yes, in terms of Albania's position during World War II and others.
See my explanation below:
In history textbook, "Invitation to History", vol 2, "From the end of WWI to the age
of globalization" , PH-Cornelsen, published on 2010 year, ISBN 978-3-06-32225-1
authors; Erabeiter von Ulrike Flach(Köln); Silke Lehmacher(Monheim); Oliver Tauke(Köln);
Annegret Weeke(Düsseldorf), page 72, On the topic "The second World War", S13 "German
advances 1939-1941", in the legend, "Later German allies", Albania is included as an ally of Nazi
1.
Germany.
The history textbook, "THE WORLD - A HISTORY", USA, published on 2010 year, PH- PEARSON
author, FELIPE FERNANDEZ-ARMESTO, on pages 966, 967, in the chapter 28, which deals with the
WWII, are given world maps, where Albania is treated as an ally of the Central Axis Powers.
What I know, by the history, till now, Albania has not been an ally of the central axis in World War
II, but an ally of the anti-fascist bloc.
We have documents from this period treated in history textbooks of Albania, to prove that the
Italian fascists and German Nazis invaded our country in World War II and the Albanian people
fought against them, and poured the blood for the liberation of the country. During WWII, Albania,
became the place where Jews and the other people who were persecuted by the Nazi-Fascists
were sheltered.
In history textbook, "Exploring history", vol 2, authors; ROLF J.KROGER, DR. DEANNA
NEBERT, BARBARA NERLICH, THOMAS SOHRNSEN, PH- Westermann, the photo, in the
timetable "The Cold War and German Division 1945-49", at the Conference of Potsdam, July
1945 and the photo of "The Big Three", at the Conference of Yalta, February 1945 in the
chapter "The Cold War and German Division 1945-49"/ Planning the Postwar World, are the
same. ??? President Roosevelt, took part in Yalta Conference, February 1945, because he died
April 12, 1945.
I am sill working on photocopying materials.
The conditions work
The library employees were extremely polite and simultaneously helped me how to work in the
library. The specialists of IC enabled me access in internet, so I did my work in good conditions.
Also, housing conditions in gest-house were very good. Silence and order prevailed, in addition to
people with whom I met there were supporters for everything.
Remarks of your stay in Braunschweig
My stay in Braunschweig made possible the addition of my civic and professional values. On the
other hand, these values will have their impact on the future of history textbooks, in the training of
history teachers( when I will train them) and in every conversation that I will do with anyone.
During my stay in Braunsweig, I did myself this question: I come from a nation with ancient
civilization: Why my country is so far from Germany in economic development?
I have an answer, but do not write here ... I'll find the right time and place to say ...
Thank you very much for the support gave me to be for a few days to GEI, in order to got the
reference points, to do assessments... Without reference points can not understand where we own
are...
Thank you Claudia ... Thanks for everything ...