Especially in times of crises, we need room for happiness, being together, and positive stories. In 2022, we had several reasons to celebrate – which we did, despite the pandemic and the war, to regain strength and courage: 20 years of the Schöpflin Foundation, 20 years of Villa Schöpflin, 10 years of Werkraum Schöpflin – and the opening of the new building of our Schöpflin School. We took all of this as an opportunity to open the doors on our foundation grounds in Lörrach-Brombach. With a big “Open House” in September we gave an insight into our work and spent happy moments with people from Lörrach, companions and partners – thereby reassuring ourselves of what we can achieve together.
On Saturday, September 24, around 2,000 people from Lörrach and the region joined us throughout the day despite rainy weather. While enjoying free food and drinks, they could learn more about the Schöpflin School, the addiction prevention in Villa Schöpflin, the planned Schöpflin Quarter, the Montessori Children's and Gardeners' House as well as our supra-regional activities.
Talk with Harald Welzer | Photo: Lucia Hofmaier
Interview with Dr. Thilo Bode | Photo: Alex Preobrajenski
Workshop with HateAid | Photo: Lucia Hofmaier
The talks at Werkraum Schöpflin, which gave particular insight into our supra-regional grantmaking and socio-political commitment, met with a great response. Maria Exner, journalist, former editor-in-chief of ZEITmagazin and founding director of our Berlin House for Journalism & the Public PUBLIX, spoke with activist and foodwatch founder Thilo Bode about civil society engagement and the question of how we as citizens can reclaim our sovereignty.
Our program directors Dorothee Vogt and Lukas Harlan discussed freedom of expression and democracy with the digitally present sociologist and author Harald Welzer and the journalist and founder of the non-profit research center CORRECTIV David Schraven.
At the Schöpflin School, Volker Schebesta, State Secretary at the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Marcus Kauer, Head of the Cultural Education Department at the Hessian Ministry of Education, as well as our colleague Constanze Wehner and Head of School Celina Rahman spoke about the future of education.
Birgit Degenhardt, director of Werkraum Schöpflin, looked back on more than two years of Corona with Shermin Langhoff, artistic director of the Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin, and reflected on the socio-political significance of culture and the importance of coming together in the theater.
Also, workshops were offered by some of our grantees: Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon, among others, presented their work at HateAid and informed the participants about how they can protect themselves from and deal with digital violence.
Two Generations of the Schöpflin Family | Photo: Alex Preobrajenski
In 2001, the Schöpflin Foundation was established by Hans Schöpflin together with his siblings Albert Schöpflin and Heidi Junghanss. With the foundation, the descendants of the Schöpflin family of entrepreneurs and catalog retail pioneers from Lörrach wanted to promote the interests of young people in particular and to give the future a lasting voice.
On the occasion of the anniversary, two generations of the Schöpflin family entered into dialog: In addition to the three siblings, Jasmine Strautmann, daughter of Heidi Junghanss, and Dr. Nikola Braun, daughter of Albert Schöpflin, offered insight into their family history and the origins of their philanthropic commitment.
Press comment:
"Interest in the Schöpflin Foundation lasted throughout the day until the end, when the Schöpflin family introduced themselves in conversation with Tim Göbel and Birgit Degenhardt in the crowded Werkraum Schöpflin. The audience was happy to get to know the people behind the foundation." (Badische Zeitung, September 26, 2022, p. 18.)
Hans Schöpflin listening to a sound installation | Photo: Lucia Hofmaier
Dr. Constanze Wehner and Tim Göbel (center) | Photo: Lucia Hofmaier
Breakdance group | Photo: Lucia Hofmaier
A diverse program was waiting for our guests on the vast and atmospheric foundation grounds in Lörrach-Brombach. Children could express themselves in open workshops with "linoleum printing", "graffiti" or "future glasses".
But there were creative activities not only for children, but also for young people and adults: Throughout the day, our guests could explore the "Schöpflin Campus" on their own in a digital quiz tour. In addition, interactive sound installations of the project "Das Brombastische Ohr" and an “idea box” of the FABRIC project were ready for use.
The day was accompanied by live music with the children's choir Lörrach, the choir Brombach, various bands and pop music on cello. The final musical highlight was a performance by breakdance European champion Mentor Shalijani with his dance group.
On Friday, September 23, 2022, we officially inaugurated the new building of our Schöpflin School. In the months beforehand, work on the construction site in Lörrach-Brombach was carried out under high pressure to bring the building forward until the start of the new school year. It was only thanks to the dedicated team that we managed to complete the new school building within twelve months in these challenging times.
Mayor Jörg Lutz, Hans Schöpflin, Mayor Monika Neuhöfer-Avdic | Photo: Lucia Hofmaier
Photo: Lucia Hofmaier
Hans Schöpflin, Celina Rahman, Tim Göbel | Photo: Lucia Hofmaier
In September, right on time for the new school year, the 39 children of the Schöpflin School were able to move into their new school building. The three buildings will provide space for up to 100 students. The single-story, wood-frame building, for which the Basel-based architectural studio alma maki was responsible, is notable for its special architecture: the rooms are not rectangular but honeycombed, reflecting the school's pedagogical concept. The goal was to create hierarchy-free spaces in which maximum flexibility and learning at eye level are possible.
Around 150 local and supra-regional guests were invited to the opening ceremony, including Lord Mayor of Lörrach, Jörg Lutz, Mayor Monika Neuhöfer-Avdic, and all the craft businesses involved in the construction. The children of the second grade performed a dance piece, which they had worked out with a dance pedagogue the weeks before. Afterwards, the focus was on thanking all those who made the project possible – in addition to project manager Constanze Wehner and Head of School Celina Rahman, these included above all construction manager Tine Höfler and all the planners, architects and craftsmen.
Press comment:
"The Schöpflin School, which is open to the public for the first time and whose new building is now complete, met with great interest [at the Open House]. [...] One sentence was frequently uttered on campus: 'If this school had existed back then, my child would have gone there.'" (Badische Zeitung, September 26, 2022, p. 18.)
On October 6, 2022, Villa Schöpflin and the alcohol prevention program "HaLT - Hart am LimiT" celebrated their twentieth anniversary. For this occasion, Villa Schöpflin invited partners and companions from near and far to the Werkraum Schöpflin in Lörrach.
Tim Göbel and Hans Schöpflin | Photo: Lucia Hofmaier
Peter Eichin (center) | Photo: Lucia Hofmaier
Photo: Lucia Hofmaier
Villa Schöpflin gGmbH - Center for Addiction Prevention was founded in 2002 as the first institution of the Schöpflin foundation. In the same year, the alcohol prevention program "HaLT - Hart am LimiT" was developed. The reason for this was the sharp rise in the number of cases of young people admitted to the local hospital with alcohol poisoning. With HaLT, Villa Schöpflin developed a program to help young people with alcohol intoxication and to prevent excessive alcohol consumption in advance. Today, HaLT exists at over 160 locations in 14 German states.
At the event, the work of the Villa Schöpflin team was acknowledged in numerous salutatory speeches. Besides Peter Eichin (Managing Director Villa Schöpflin) speeches were given by Hans Schöpflin and Tim Göbel, Ulrike Drabeck (BMG), Marion Dammann (District Administrator), Jörg Lutz (Mayor Lörrach) as well as Andreas Nagy (Head of Lörrach Police Department).
Afterwards, all guests were guided through the grounds and interactively informed about the (supra-)regional prevention programs of the Villa. The evening was rounded off with a dinner and many valuable conversations. In all, the event has clarified that Villa Schöpflin's prevention work can only be successful with the help of all those who accompany it as partners and supporters.
Press comment:
"Villa Schöpflin received the highest recognition and appreciation for the alcohol prevention program "HaLT- Hart am LimiT", which is outstanding in its conception and implementation. [...] From Lörrach, the program spread throughout Germany and is now [...] implemented in 14 federal states. It is considered a flagship of prevention work." (Oberbadische Zeitung, October 8, 2022.)
