ABSTRACT
When it comes to teaching with film, empirical studies have demonstrated how teachers feel they lack formal training, have little time to engage with pedagogical theories, and are "left to their own devices". This chapter addresses this question through the case study of Germany's Bundeszentrale fur politische Bildung (BpB). The chapter understands and conceptualizes "difficult history" – and how the BpB Filmhefte approach difficult history – in a few specific ways: topics that are difficult to teach because no clear public consensus has been reached about their interpretation; topics that are difficult to teach because they are especially complex, cumbersome to represent, and difficult to understand; and topics that are difficult because they encroach upon particular sensitivities of teachers, students, and their communities. The chapter presents the standardized form and contents of the brochures in order to familiarize the reader with the content and to preview the BpB's basic approach to teaching film in the classroom.
