Fritz Bauer Forum | Democracy and Human Rights Education

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Autor/Autorin

Portrait
PD Dr. Irmtrud Wojak
Managing Director

Democracy and diversity

Fritz Bauer had Article 1 of the Basic Law, “Human dignity is inviolable”, displayed prominently on the façades of the court buildings where he worked.

During the National Socialist era, human dignity was violated millions of times through terror, violence and war. The National Socialist policy of marginalisation and deportation of millions had ended in war and the Holocaust. In 1945, the Allies defeated the National Socialist regime and Germany was divided.

Fritz Bauer, who survived persecution, concentration camp imprisonment and a dozen years in exile, returned in 1949. He wanted to support those who resisted and fought for a democratic Germany. “Never again!”, cried the survivors, should human dignity be trampled on and violated in the way it was during the period of injustice.

This is what moved us when we founded the Fritz Bauer Forum.

History of the forum

2014

The development of an interactive library with stories of resistance and survival with students at the Radcliffe Institute was the beginning of the project in 2014/15/17.

2019

This year, the Interactive Fritz Bauer Library went online with an event at the VHS Bochum, with the participation of many initiatives and committed individuals.

2020

The foundation stone for the Fritz Bauer Forum was laid in 2020 on the site of the former “Havkenscheid Mourning Hall”.

2023

In August 2023, the Fritz Bauer Library for around 40,000 media units was completed and opened in the converted monument “Trauerhalle Ost”.

2025

The Fritz Bauer Forum will open in Bochum on Basic Law Day in 2025.

View of the newly opened Fritz Bauer Library 2023

Future of the Fritz Bauer Forum

The further expansion of the Fritz Bauer Forum’s projects and human rights education is at the centre of the BUXUS FOUNDATION’s funding activities.