HISTORICAL RESPONSIBILITY. COMMITMENT TODAY.

Supporting Jewish Life and Combating Antisemitism

Antisemitism threatens Jewish life and the foundations of an open society. Through projects, research and educational initiatives, the Hertie Foundation supports remembrance, awareness and democratic cohesion.

The history of the Hertie Foundation is closely linked to the consequences of National Socialism. The founding family of the Hertie department stores was persecuted by the Nazi regime, forced into exile and dispossessed through the so-called “Aryanization” of its business. This historical responsibility continues to shape the Foundation’s commitment today.

Part of that responsibility is also a critical examination of our own history. The Hertie Foundation commissioned an independent historical study by the Society for Business History (Gesellschaft für Unternehmensgeschichte), accompanied by a publication on the history of the Hertie company and the Tietz family.

About the publication “Persecuted, ‘Aryanized’, Compensated? How the Hermann Tietz Department Store Group Became Hertie”

The Foundation’s activities in this field focus on education and prevention, digital responses to antisemitism, support for Jewish life, remembrance culture and historical awareness, as well as research and analysis. Together, these efforts seek to strengthen democratic values and counter antisemitic attitudes and actions.

Remembrance, Research and Public Dialogue

Antisemitism manifests itself in different forms and social contexts. The Hertie Foundation supports initiatives that promote historical knowledge, strengthen research and create opportunities for dialogue and understanding.

Current activities include projects in the areas of Holocaust remembrance, education, support for Jewish cultural life, research on antisemitism and initiatives that foster public awareness and democratic engagement.