History

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) was founded in 1925 as a political legacy a of Germany's first democratically elected president, Friedrich Ebert. Ebert, a Social Democrat from a humble crafts background who had risen to hold the highest political office in his country, in response to his own painful experi­ence in political confrontation had proposed the establishment of a founda­tion to serve the following aims:

• furthering political and social education of individuals from all walks of life in the spirit of democracy and pluralism,
• facilitating access to university education and research for gifted young people by providing scholarships,
• contributing to international understanding and co-operation.

The Foundation, which was banned by the Nazis in 1933 and not re-estab­lished until 1947, continues today to pursue these aims in all its extensive activities.

As a private cultural non-profit institution, it is committed to the ideas and basic values of social democracy.