Friedrich-Ebert

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) was founded in 1925 as a political legacy of Germany's first democratically elected president, Friedrich Ebert (1871-1925).

A social democrat of a modest craftsmen background who had risen to hold the highest political office of chancellor in Germany, proposed – in response to his own painful experience of political confrontation and conflict – 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 funding of research activities of gifted young people through scholarships, contributing to inter-cultural understanding and cooperation.