Ein Gentleman auf Schlesien-Reise. Die Briefe des John Quincy Adams

An exhibition of the House of Homeland of the State of Baden-Württemberg

In 1800, the diplomat and later American president John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) set off from Berlin on a trip to Silesia. His English-language descriptions, originally written for his brother, were published just one year later. Further editions and even translations into German and French followed. The educated gentleman's thoughts interested the public.

The cosmopolitan John Quincy Adams seeks his position in the world and travels to a then little-known region - an adventure. As a diplomat, he pays particular attention to trade and production in Silesia and examines the possibilities of establishing economic relations. He regarded the monarchies of the Old World as outdated. The Prussian military state seemed to him to have remained in the Frederician era.

The exhibition at the Haus der Heimat des Landes Baden-Württemberg follows John Quincy Adams' travel route: from Berlin via Grünberg to the Hirschberg Valley, to the ruins of Kynast Castle via the Schneekoppe to Schmiedeberg and Wroclaw. Adams reflects on the experience of "traveling", on social life and the mentality of the people, on the technique of textile blueprinting. His descriptions show the subjective perspective, the cultural conditionality of every traveler's view of the foreign - whether on the road in a horse-drawn carriage or on a world tour to photo spots today.

An exhibition in cooperation with Haus Schlesien, Königswinter