In the past five months, five letters appeared at more than 50 locations in Bremen and Bremerhaven. Sometimes they were tiny and could only be seen under a microscope, sometimes they were underwater surrounded by colorful corals, sometimes they were huge and up in the air. Four white letters and the unmistakable double-lined red “U” of the University of Bremen formed the word “Warum” - which means “why” in German - and thus asked the following question at 50 locations: “Why is there a piece of the University of Bremen here?” The answers yielded interesting texts, images, and videos, which were able to be digitally viewed using QR codes.

That is how the interested citizens of Bremen found out why the Kunsthalle Bremen researches its own collection, why the actors and actresses from the bremer shakespeare company peruse old files, and why the ZARM scientists allow complex experiments to fall more than 100 meters in the Bremen Drop Tower, to name a few examples. And they were able to learn why the University of Bremen has made an important contribution to all of these locations.

The “WARUM” locations have now been brought together and can be seen in the heart of Bremen’s city center from October 15, to November 7, 2021. During a preview in the Town Hall on October 9, the President of the university expressed his thanks to all helpers at the involved institutions. “With your active support, it has become possible for the University of Bremen to put together a truly fantastic project in the jubilee year,” stated Professor Bernd Scholz-Reiter. “We came to you with the ‘WARUM’ letters and asked: Why do you do what you do? And why is there a piece of the University of Bremen in your institution, your initiative, your company, your location? This led to amazing images and descriptions, which can now be seen together by citizens in the Lower Town Hall. They show where research, teaching, and studying are an important part of the economy, politics, administration, education, and culture - and where ideas and cooperations stemming from university have given impetus for something new.”

The President particularly thanked the university jubilee project leader, Oliver Behnecke, and the GfG / Gruppe für Gestaltung agency, who creatively staged the “WARUM” letters for breathtaking photos at more than 50 locations. Niklas Haukenfrers, Michel Iffländer, and Dustin Schröder put in their all at the photo shoots and carried the large letters across the city. They sunk the “WARUM” letters in a tropical aquarium, set smaller versions of the letters in a highly populated beehive, and hung them up inside the 120 meter-high Drop Tower, for example.

Information on the Exhibition:

The “50 reasons WHY” locations can be seen in the Lower Town Hall from October 15, to November 7, 2021. The exhibition is open between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays.

All “50 Reasons WHY” images and descriptions are also available online

An interview with the GfG photographers in German is available here