The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung is part of the network of
German political foundations.
Its main areas of activity today are:
IN GERMANY
- Civic education programmes inside Germany
- Research and scientific analysis in central policy areas
- Organisation of dialogue and interchange between social and political
actors, such creating a space for deliberative democracy within Germany’s
political system
- Scholarships for students studying at German universities
OUTSIDE OF GERMANY
- The FES has over 80 offices and maintains programmes and acitivities
in over 100 countries on the earth. Its network of offices is one
of the most important non-governmental global infrastructures
for democracy promotion and international dialogue on central topics
of international politics, globalization and the economic, social
and political development in the world.
For more information and links to the FES-Offices worldwide see the
following webpages
THE LIBRARY AND THE ARCHIVE OF FES
The library of
FES is one of the world’s most important scientific
specialist libraries for:
- History and actual developments of the German and international
labour movement
- German and international social history
- Current publications of political parties and trade unions in Germany
and other countries
HISTORY OF THE FOUNDATION
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The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung was founded in 1925
as a political legacy of Germany's first democratically
elected president, Friedrich Ebert, who died the
same year.
Ebert, a social democrat of humble origins, had risen
to hold the highest office in his country despite
considerable opposition from his political adversaries.
He assumed the burden of presidency in a country which
was crisis-ridden following its defeat in World War I.
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| Friedrich Ebert 1871-1925 |
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His own personal experience led him to propose the establishment of
a Foundation with a threefold aim:
- to further a democratic, pluralistic political culture by means
of political education for all classes of society;
- to facilitate access to higher education for gifted young people
by providing scholarships;
- to contribute towards international understanding and co-operation
wherever possible to avert a fresh outbreak of war and conflict.
The Foundation, which was immediately banned by the Nazis in 1933
and not re-established until 1947 after World War II, continues today
to pursue those aims and has developed extensive programmes in each
of the above areas.
