History Competition "Experience of Dictatorship and Democratic Upheavals in Germany and Europe"

The history competition “Experience of Dictatorship and Democratic Upheavals in Germany and Europe” invites students from Thuringia from grade 9 of all school types as well as grade 12 of grammar schools to engage creatively and academically with German and European dictatorship history. Seminar and project papers are the focus of this annual competition organized by the Ettersberg Foundation since 2004. Participants conduct on-site or archival research, apply source criticism, and develop independent results that illuminate the mechanisms, everyday life, and transformation under dictatorships. Individual and group submissions in PDF format can be submitted, supplemented by optional audio and video materials. A prerequisite is attendance at a school or residence in Thuringia as well as a thematic connection to dictatorship history and democracy education.

An independent jury of historians, teachers, and media professionals evaluates entries based on originality, motivation, methodological source work, subject-specific expression, and cooperative teamwork. The best works are awarded prize money of €1,000 (1st prize), €750 (2nd prize), €500 (3rd prize), as well as up to five special prizes of €250 each. The competition thus promotes not only historical-political education but also strengthens young people’s commitment to democratic values and social cohesion. The submission deadline for the 2026 competition round is March 5, 2026. The awarded works will be publicly presented and contribute to the further processing of the SED dictatorship as well as to the culture of remembrance in Germany and Europe.