Objekt des Monats
Jedes Objekt in der Sammlung des Deutschen Auswandererhauses erzählt eine ganz persönliche Auswanderungs- oder Einwanderungsgeschichte. In dieser Rubrik stellen wir Ihnen jeden Monat ein anderes Objekt vor – eine Fotografie, ein Dokument oder ein persönliches Erinnerungsstück.
October 2025
Scale Model “Starship Enterprise”, 1992
Historical Context
“Mr. Spock is one of my heroes.”
The miniature Enterprise was produced in 1992, at a time when the science fiction series Starship Enterprise had already reached cult status, not only in the USA but worldwide. In Germany, Starship Enterprise has been broadcast since the early 1970s. The Star Trek universe describes a utopia in which humanity has made significant progress towards a liberal-humanistic future and engages in various scientific expeditions in space under the so-called Starfleet. This development contrasts with the political and social circumstances in the USA at the time when Star Trek was created. Various analyses suggest that the series is primarily a critique of American politics and the so-called Cold War. Furthermore, themes such as racism and sexism are critically reflected upon through the utopia.
At the same time as the production of the miniature Enterprise, the number of so-called Expat labor migrants rises worldwide in the 1990s. Currently, an expatriate (short: Expat) refers to a highly qualified professional working for an international corporation who is sent to another country as part of a project. This type of labor migration is characterized by a predetermined time limit and the person’s commitment to the sending country. Both phenomena, the rise of Star Trek as mass culture and Expat migration, are indicative of increasing globalization since modern times.
Short Biography
“I did not see myself chasing molecules.”
Norbert Kamp was born in 1970 in Bald Salzig, Rhineland-Palatinate. In 1989, he began his chemistry studies at the University of Bonn and decided to write his thesis in Great Britain. In 1994, he moved to York for this purpose. His original plan to return to Germany after a year was disrupted by an offer to pursue his doctorate with a full scholarship from the large company Unilever. His professional ambitions are not in research but in the commercial sector, and after completing his doctorate, he signs an employment contract with BP [British Petroleum, oil industry]. In 1998, he took his first position with BP in Hull (UK) to work there for a year.
As an expat, Norbert Kamp first migrates back to Germany, followed by professional projects in and migration (together with his partner Sarah, who is originally from Britain) to Amsterdam, Kyiv, Los Angeles, Chicago, and finally London. The couple married in 2001 in Mayrhofen, Austria, in the Zillertal. Their sons Henry and Benno were born in Chicago in 2009 and 2014, respectively, hold three nationalities (British, German, American), and are bilingual. In 2017, Norbert Kamp opts for a career change and leaves BP. He describes his years and experiences as an expat as “privileged” and a “comprehensive worry-free package.”
Today, the Kamp family lives in Hamburg, and Norbert Kamp works at GIDARA Energy in Amsterdam, experiencing what is known as commuter migration, which he manages weekly by plane.
Significance of the object
“We have taken with us a way of thinking from our ’round trip’: to question things critically, a can-do attitude, a directness, an adaptability.”
Norbert Kamp’s passion for science fiction, particularly for the Star Trek universe, was instilled in him from birth as his mother was enthusiastic about science fiction and passed this interest on to her son. Throughout his life, Norbert Kamp, as a Trekkie [colloquial term for a fan of the Star Trek franchise], attends conventions, large events where like-minded individuals gather and meet celebrities from their respective fandoms. At a convention during his time in the USA, he acquires a model of the Starship Enterprise. The chemist is particularly fascinated by the reflection of “similar interpersonal interactions” present in the Starship Enterprise. This is reflected in his diverse migration biography. He constantly reflects on the different socio-cultural experiences, seeing both positive and negative aspects simultaneously. His partnership and family experiences are also shaped by reflection and migrant influences.
In the special exhibition “Temptation of Space – Migrating to the Moon, Mars, Venus”, which is on display at the German Emigration Center until January 6, you will experience, among other things, classic works of science fiction and explore what dreams or nightmares humanity connects with them.
Do You Also Have …
… a story of emigration or immigration in your family that you would like to share with the German Emigration Center together with the related objects and documents for its collection? Then please contact Dr. Tanja Fittkau by phone at +49 471 / 90 22 0 – 0
or by e-mail at: t.fittkau@dah-bremerhaven.de