Elisabeth NIEJAHR

For the second year running, the non-profit Hertie Foundation is supporting the FILM OHNE GRENZEN festival. Elisabeth Niejahr heads the „Strengthening Democracy“ division there. A conversation about political education, introducing young people to democratic processes in everyday life, and the challenge of stepping out of one's own comfort zone.

From Ralf Hermersdorfer

Ms. Niejahr, could you briefly give us an overview of your area of responsibility and what is particularly important to you in terms of future prospects?

For example, the Hertie Foundation funds a major program like „Jugend debattiert“ (Youth Debates), in which 200,000 young people, students, and trainees participate every year across more than 100 municipalities. Strengthening the younger generation—to make their interests visible and enable them to participate as much as possible in political decision-making—is of great importance to us. We also have a large, young, and politically minded community of people who, for instance, received support through the „START Foundation“ because they were students with a migration background, participated in Jugend debattiert, or attended the „Hertie School,“ which now has around 3,000 alumni throughout Germany. Some of the young people we previously supported now sit in the Bundestag, in ministries, and in important jobs in the business world. So we truly have a large, politically minded, and young community. And that is actually our greatest treasure: that we work with so many young people who are committed to democracy. And we, as a foundation, also feel obligated to continually bring their interests and issues to the forefront.

As part of its youth program, FILM WITHOUT BORDERS is screening the short film „Youth Election“ from the Europaschule Storkow, which participated in the nationwide Junior Election held parallel to the federal election in February 2025, allowing students to gain their first personal experience with democratic elections. In your view, how important is it to introduce democratic processes to young people as early as possible?

I believe you cannot start early enough to engage and inspire children and young people for democracy. The Juniorwahl is a good example of this. For instance, we also fund projects that specifically target first-time voters. But personally, I think you can start even in primary school or even in day-care centers. Fortunately, a great deal has also happened in Germany regarding the topic of early childhood education. Some people find it hard to imagine, but indeed, even at three or four years old, you can vote on whether a group should be called „Zebra“ or „Hippopotamus“ or whether a wall should be painted red or green. I believe we all need to be more creative together so that we learn to vote, so that one cannot always prevail with one's political minority. So frustration tolerance is an important issue in democracy. And I believe we need offerings for all age groups, but especially for young people.

To what extent does the central aspect of education play a role in this?

Democracy can be learned and, above all, it can be practiced. I believe that good democratic education or civic education should also explain the political system. For example, how the Federal President is elected and similar processes. But it is just as important to actually take action and integrate directly into everyday school life the idea that young people make decisions, that they may be involved in school budgets, that they have an effective student council. That is also how we work at „Youth Debates“ [Jugend debattiert]. We notice that as young people debate repeatedly, they gradually get better and gain more self-confidence. And ideally, these are truly biographical, formative experiences and experiences of self-efficacy that one gains when learning at a young age that one can have a say in a municipality or at school. I was a political journalist in Berlin for a long time and got to know many politicians, and right up to the Federal President, they have repeatedly emphasized that they often started out the exact same way. Frank-Walter Steinmeier himself once voted on a youth club. Others campaigned in local politics to ensure that a bus still runs somewhere late at night so that young people can also go to the cinema. And it is often such early experiences of political efficacy that later inspire people to take on political mandates. And I find that incredibly important, because we have a major shortage of elected representatives right at the local level, and clearly more needs to happen there.

The film „Mit der Faust in die Welt schlagen,“ which is screening at FILM OHNE GRENZEN this year, offers a deep insight into the realities of young people's lives in East Germany and encourages reflection on social issues. Can this film, with its sensitive perspective on things, make a difference?

I believe that films like „Mit der Faust in die Welt schlagen“ are incredibly important because we live in an aging society where my generation, the baby boomers, are in the majority, since we were able to vote majorities into existence just because there were so many of us. The younger people are simply fewer in number. They are exposed to major issues like climate change, an insecure global situation, and other topics. This is a small, unsettled generation. And if the older generation doesn't make an effort to win them over and make their concerns visible, I can also understand that they are frustrated and, in some cases, turning away from political decision-makers. And I think the older generation doesn't always understand that because they were able to assert themselves differently in politics. I believe we have a great responsibility, and it is also a personal concern of mine because I have a 19-year-old daughter. We simply have completely different experiences of crises; I grew up with the „Club of Rome,“ the fear of a Third World War, and various other scenarios. And in the end, we lived in freedom and prosperity for a very long time. I think the young generation is very unsettled in many ways. They were socialized by Corona, they experienced that the world can become entirely different overnight. They often have parents who cannot promise them that they will necessarily be better off. And that is why we are all urgently called upon to take care of the younger generation.

This year, the festival's theme is „All Human!“. How do you think we can achieve more humanity in our interactions with one another? From your personal perspective, what would be the key to success?

I think this motto „All Human!“ is just great. It makes me think of the Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer, who was an guest of honor at your festival just last year. When she appeared anywhere, she didn't commit to any party politics, but she always campaigned for humanity and thus moved and won over a great many people. And I think of Thomas Mann, whose 150th anniversary has just been celebrated all over the country. During the Second World War, he campaigned for a radical humanism. I found that very nice, because humanism also sounds so non-committal. And one might think of a humanist grammar school, but combining that with the word „radical“ and saying, we are truly resolutely human, and that across party lines. And we uphold human rights, the dignity of the individual, and an attitude of fellow humanity, responsibility, and care. In these times, this is a very good motto that is also broadly relatable. And that is also important in democracy work, that we do not divide there, but bring people together.

What is the most important task for the future regarding democracy? What do we urgently need to address?

I believe that for the future of democracy, the most important thing is to do something about the apathy of the political center. It is not enough to support minorities that have great programs and are engaged. Of course, that is important, and as a foundation, we do that too. But I am driven by the question of how to reach the many people who took to the streets after the Correctiv investigation. These were hundreds of thousands of people all over Germany who care about democracy, who stepped out of their comfort zones, and who are approachable. And I am driven by the question of how to reach all of them to stay involved with the issue. There are various good and legitimate forms of getting involved, but perhaps the crucial thing is not just what you do, but that you do something at all. That can also be civil courage in everyday life, it can be reflected in raising one's own children, at school, as a teacher. Everyone in their own place, wherever they are. And I hope that this spirit survives a little longer.

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Photo: Anatol Kotte