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[Translate to English:] Kontroversen
Dr. Silvester Lechner, Head of the Department of Politics, Society, and History from 1974–1981
The vh Ulm was envisioned by its founders as a space for critical, constructive dialogue. Controversy was part of that—and had to be endured. This was evident both in coming to terms with the Nazi era and in the emergence of the peace movement in the 1980s. ‘The Ulm Adult Education Centre has always kept pace with the political developments of its time’, recalls Dr. Silvester Lechner, who worked at the vh from 1974 to 1981. ‘Many people found a space here for their topics and ideas.’ ‘Freedom that you leave unused decays’, notes the former director Dr. Dagmar Engels-Kress. Freedom and involvement in decision-making were ‘part of the vh’s DNA’: ‘To be heard, it had to be a thorn in the side of the city’s community.’ At the same time, the vh has always acted as a seismograph of social developments: first a ‘school of democracy’, then a ‘school of integration’. Criticism was inevitable. Even in financially difficult times, the vh remained committed to political education. Lothar Heusohn, Head of the Department of Politics from 1981 to 2016, reflects: ‘As the vh, we represented our positions and embraced controversy, never allowing ourselves to be deterred by authority. If there is no place where different positions can be discussed, how is awareness to be raised? We followed Inge Aicher-Scholl’s guiding principle: “Interference desired.”’
Daniel Kanzleiter, Head of the Department of Politics since 2024, adds: ‘Controversy requires institutional freedom—we can tackle challenging issues only as an independent organisation.’
In Architektur gegossene Programmatik: Diskussion im Club Orange, 1970er Jahre.
Podiumsdiskussion im Club Orange im Rahmen des »Offenen Samstags«, 1970er Jahre.
Enduring controversy and engaging in dialogue are central to the mission of vh Ulm. It is both a place of learning and a public space—a place where different voices become visible and societal issues are debated. Allowing a diversity of voices and perspectives is just as important as clarifying issues through discussion.
‘Having an institution where participation and education become reality, where people can engage in political processes—whether in their street, their neighbourhood, or city politics—has a significant impact on people’, says Lothar Heusohn. ‘We were able to help shape civic involvement and participation here.’ After the National Socialist era, a culture of critical discussion had to be rebuilt—following thirteen years without freedom of expression or democracy. Conflicts are not smoothed over at vh Ulm; they are consciously allowed, through dialogue-based formats, open discussion groups, and working committees. In this way, vh Ulm creates the conditions for engagement and self-empowerment. The architecturally unique Club Orange serves as a central forum for exchange. Here, people from different backgrounds come together to discuss critically and constructively on equal footing. ‘The Adult Education Centre was for many the first place where their problems were taken seriously’, recalls Dr. Silvester Lechner. This was true for migrants, women’s education, and the peace movement of the 1980s. Whatever moves society finds its place at vh Ulm. ‘Getting involved and actively helping shape things’, says Heusohn, ‘is a central political awareness process—and at the heart of the Adult Education Centre.’
»The round tables in Club Orange are a programme in themselves: discussion is encouraged.«
Dr. Silvester Lechner, Head of the Department of Politics, Society, and History from 1974–1981
