Trust under pressure: rumours, prejudices and doubts in the democratic public sphere, from Weimar to the present day

Democracy is based on the ability to agree on a shared reality and to shape a shared future accordingly. But how is political trust built – and what destroys it?

The panel discussion traces a path from the Weimar Republic to the present-day European context. Using the example of the Kapp Putsch and the controversies of the time surrounding the general strike and collective labour law, the panel will examine how rumours and possibly deliberate misinformation shape political events and conflicts. It will also address the question of the extent to which international youth exchanges have historically contributed to overcoming stereotypes – the equivalent of today’s fake news.

In doing so, it will discuss their role in promoting international understanding, shaping public opinion and fostering openness to the world, particularly in Germany and France. The discussion will then turn to the current crisis of confidence in democratic institutions, as well as the question of whether political education and new forms of citizen participation can counteract polarisation and disinformation, strengthen democratic resilience and contribute to solving complex socio-political problems.

The historical perspective reveals that facts and fake news never exert their political impact in isolation: what matters is which institutions, media and social actors people trust, and whether democratic processes enable public understanding, participation and legitimate decision-making.

Featuring:

• Dr Sonja Mangold, lawyer and associate researcher at the Centre Marc Bloch – collective labour law, the general strike and ‘fake news’ during the Kapp Putsch
• Dr Daniela Heimpel, political scientist, Max Weber Fellow at the European University Institute and associate researcher at the Centre Marc Bloch – political education, European citizens’ forums and participatory democracy
• Dr Guillaume Placide-Breitenbucher, sociologist and associate researcher at the Centre Marc Bloch – international youth exchanges and student mobility, cultural diplomacy

Moderator: PD Dr Astrid Ackermann is a historian conducting research at the University of Erfurt on the history of European culture, knowledge and politics in the early modern period. 

Free admission – no registration required!

This event is taking place as part of the ‘Weimar Rendezvous with History’ at mon ami and other selected venues. From 30 October to 1 November, the festival offers a diverse and exciting programme under the theme ‘Fact or Fake?’. All events are free of charge and open to the public without registration.