Glimpses of German History is a series of short films made by the German History Society, which uses objects to shed light on German history.
In this short film, Dr Johanna Dale discusses the reliquary of St Oswald from Hildesheim Cathedral. This unique reliquary claims to contain Oswald’s head (spoiler: it almost certainly does not!) and through its decoration and history sheds light on Anglo-German cultural and political connections in the Middle Ages.
To view the other videos in the series, which cover a fascinating range of objects from medieval to modern, visit the GHS YouTube channel!
The GHS are also running an associated creative research competition for school students. Please share the details with any history or German teachers in your networks: https://www.germanhistorysociety.org/2025/09/17/creative-research-contest-2025-26/
Oswald of Northumbria 