When does the presentation take place?

The final presentation begins on Friday, November 13, 2026, at 7:00 PM.

Where is the event held?

The venue is StadtLab at Markt 1 in 07743 Jena.

What is the entry fee?

Admission to the public presentation is free.

Who presents the research results?

Leonie Dellen, historian, political scientist, educator, and Rosenthal scholarship holder of the City of Jena, presents the results of her twelve-month project.

What topics are in focus?

The focus is on youth social work in Jena, societal upheavals between the end of the 1980s and the 1990s, and the radicalization environment of the later NSU trio.

Is the event part of a series?

Yes, the presentation is part of the exhibition and event series Jena Remembers! 15 Years Later – Jena and the NSU Complex.

Jena Remembers: How Political Education Makes the Traces of the NSU Complex Visible

Name: Scholarship for Political Education: Final Presentation by Leonie Dellen
Start: 2026-11-13T19:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-11-13T21:00:00+01:00
Location: StadtLab

Jena Remembers: How Youth Social Work and Right-Wing Radicalization Are Connected

On November 13, 2026, Leonie Dellen will present the results of her twelve-month Rosenthal Scholarship for Political Education at StadtLab Jena. The public event combines historical research, political education, and local memory culture. It focuses on different perspectives on youth social work in Jena between the end of the 1980s and the mid to late 1990s.

Historical Research in Local Context

The presentation examines a socially formative period of transformation: the political, social, and cultural upheaval after 1989 and the conditions under which right-wing structures could develop in Jena. Leonie Dellen highlights how youth social work was perceived, shaped, and evaluated, and what experiences of those affected were often overlooked in contemporary concepts.

The NSU Complex as a Subject of Critical Reappraisal

A particular focus is on the radicalization environment of the later NSU trio. The event historically and socio-politically contextualizes the development of right-wing violence without stopping at mere chronology. It inquires about action spaces, institutional perceptions, and the consequences for people affected by right-wing violence.

Political Education as an Aesthetic and Social Experience

This evening, StadtLab will become a place of concentrated material contemplation in a metaphorical sense: Not painting or sculpture is at the center, but sources, perspectives, and memories as materials for a public engagement. The exhibition atmosphere of the accompanying series Jena Remembers! 15 Years Later combines historical documentation with critical reflection. This creates an artistic experience of political education, where knowledge, empathy, and democratic responsibility converge.

A Scholarship with Scientific and Educational Perspective

The Scholarship for Political Education was newly conceived by JenaKultur in 2024 and 2025 and awarded for the first time in June 2025. Leonie Dellen is a historian, political scientist, and educator. Her project emerged from impulses of the Round Table for Democracy and the Ernst Abbe University of Jena. The final presentation will be moderated by Dr. Axel Salheiser.

Conclusion: Remembrance as a Task for the Present

The final presentation offers a well-founded artistic experience of cultural education and opens new access to Jena's city history, youth social work, and the reappraisal of the NSU complex. Those who want to understand social developments, take historical responsibility, and strengthen democratic perspectives will experience an important public contemplation in StadtLab. Admission is free.