This exhibition considers the transnational life and legacy of the activist and cofounder of the West German Green Party, Petra Kelly. The exhibition shows how Kelly’s transatlantic childhood and education enabled her to become a transnational activist. It follows the connections to friends, companions, and fellow activists all over the globe that shaped her approach to green politics and underpinned her contributions to the peace movement. Examining how the German and international press reported on Kelly, the exhibition reflects on how her profile as a Green celebrity was shaped. An analysis of the spiritual dimensions of Kelly’s green politics demonstrates how “deep green” frameworks helped the activist to think beyond the boundaries of “politics as usual.” Finally, the exhibition looks at Kelly’s legacy, considering how her ideas and her career have resonated differently in different parts of the world.

Introduction
Timeline
Further Readings
The Transnational Education of Petra Kelly
Transnational Women’s Networks
Green Politics and Spirituality
A Green Celebrity
Asserting Women’s Power
Petra Kelly’s Legacy
This exhibition is licensed CC BY 4.0 International, 2024 Stephen Milder et al. This refers only to the text and does not include image rights. For copyright information on the above images, please click here.

Milder, Stephen, Andreas Jünger, Katharina Scharf, Amanda M. Nichols, Friederike Bruehoefener, and Adam Stone. “Petra Kelly: Life and Legacy of a Transnational Green Activist.” Environment & Society Portal, Virtual Exhibitions 2024, no. 1. Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society. doi.org/10.5282/rcc/9772.

ISSN 2198-7696 Environment & Society Portal, Virtual Exhibitions

The Environment & Society Portal is a project of the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, a joint initiative of LMU Munich and the Deutsches Museum. The center is supported by a grant from the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research. Read more about the Portal in English and in German.