We were unable to assign one of the 33 "Throwbacks" to a specific date because it is a timeless phenomenon that is basically still valid today: Leaflets. Not just on a specific date, but almost every day for over 50 years, flyers have been on display in the university canteen and cafeteria.

What can visitors to the university expect when they go to the canteen or cafeteria? That's right: flyers of all shapes and colours vying for their attention. It used to be no different. Students have always been able to find out about university or "big" politics, events, celebrations and study programmes with the help of these small flyers. The leaflets were often produced and printed by hand. Some consisted only of text, others also included photos, caricatures or logos. In the early years of the university in particular, almost every university group published its own magazine or printed leaflets. They even held debates with each other via their publications - albeit with response times that seem Stone Age in the age of TikTok, Instagram & Co.

The range of topics was just as broad back then as it is today. From horror at racist attacks and protests against new nuclear power plants to invitations to wild parties: the University Archive's collection of flyers is a colourful mix. It owes its existence to the former library director Hermann Havekost. Between 1974 and 1998, he and other members of staff regularly collected and archived flyers, magazines and posters from the canteen and cafeteria. In total, the university archive contains more than 80 folders with thousands of leaflets.