1

Analysing the list of contents

Take a look at the list of contents of the magazine "G/Geschichte: Departure into the New World. Columbus and the era of the explorers." and try to arrange the topics according to subject groups.

The aim of this task is to engage with the subject areas which are treated in the individual articles. Several classifications are possible here. One option is the classification according to:

- Portraits: The Captain from Genoa/ Portrait: Ferdinand and Isabella/ Heading West/ Portrait: Amerigo and America

- New insights and their technical basis: The world is a globe/ The tools of the discoverers

- Indigenous population: Amongst cannibals/ The cross of the Indians

- "Imports" from America: Tobacco, chili and potatoes/ Lethal souvenirs

- Voyages: Paradise in sight!/ Gold and tears/ Stranded and forgotten

- Portugal and Spain: The divided world/ Race to India

- The tracks of Columbus

2

Comparing the German and the English list of contents

Compare, together with your partner, the list of contents of the German "G/Geschichte" with the list of contents of the English magazine "History Today". Can you pick out different viewpoints on Columbus? Explain your findings.

The English magazine especially deals with the consequences of the "discovery" made by Columbus (perhaps due to being published in the anniversary year of 1992) and with the concomitant controversial attribution of Columbus as a "hero" or a "villain". Furthermore, the subsequent events of the year 1492 are put into global perspective in the English magazine. The indigenous population is also addressed in greater detail. Thereby, it is also discussed how they could have developed if Columbus hadn't found the sea route to America.

With regard to the German magazine it should be noted that – despite all his flaws and weaknesses such as lack of leadership, intransigence, nautical miscalculations – Columbus is portrayed as a hero with great strength of will who acted out of conviction. This is true, even if the German magazine embeds Columbus in broader contemporaneous contexts. An overview of the longterm consequences for the indigenous population or even further speculations as to how the history of the continent could have developed without the European discovery are not provided in the German magazine "G/Geschichte".

3

Comparing the title pages and the list of contents in the English and the German magazine

The title pages of "G/Geschichte" and "History Today" are designed very differently. Can you find a connection between the choice of pictures and the main topics in the list of contents? Explain your considerations.

Tip: Try to find out more about the artists.

For the title page of "History Today" an excerpt of the fresco "The Tarascan Civilization" (4.92 x 3.2 m, Mexico City, Palacio National, 1942) by Diego Rivera was chosen. For the fresco Rivera combined activities which are assigned to early West-Mexican cultures with activities known from the classic civilizations of Central Mexico. Rivera depicts textile workers and among others also a priest (in the centre of the picture with a pointed hat).

The title page of the magazine "G/Geschichte" consists of a collage of Karl Theodor von Piloty's painting "Christopher Columbus" (1865) and of Albert Bierstadt's (1893) "The landing of Columbus" (in the background). Due to the positioning of Columbus at the right picture margin the impression is created that the seafarer directs his gaze towards the "New World", which is presented as "paradise" in Bierstadt's work. Both paintings are from the 19^th century and represent a Eurocentric perspective on Columbus.

In comparing both title pages regarding the choice of pictures it becomes apparent that the English magazine places emphasis on the indigenous perspective. The Mexican painter Diego Rivera depicts the pre-Columbian society of Central America in his wall painting. Both cover pages, however, depict pictures by painters who lived many years after the illustrated events.

4

Further international comparisons

If you are further interested in this topic you can take a look at Spanish, Swedish and Polish lists of contents here and compare them to the German and English equivalents. You can also find the German and English front pages in the additional material.