“The Domain of the Young as the Generation of the Future”: Student Agency and Anglo-German Exchange After the Great War

Abstract

This chapter examines student exchanges between Germany and England in the aftermath of the war. Anglo-German scholarly connections had been plentiful and robust before 1914. However, in the aftermath of the war, much mutual suspicion underpinned projects for demobilization. This chapter argues that students were important actors in establishing, enacting and experiencing exchanges between former enemies in the aftermath of war. Consequently, students were important actors in helping to normalize international relations in the aftermath of war through their participation in bilateral exchange programmes. This chapter looks in particular at student participation in relief work, the outlook of German and British student organizations, and the character and consequences of different exchange efforts.