Walther Rathenau Institut

The Walther Rathenau Institut, formally identified as the Walther Rathenau Institut, Stiftung für internationale Politik, is a non-partisan and non-profit foundation based in Berlin. Established in early 2008 on the initiative of publicist and entrepreneur Michael A. Gotthelf and Hartmuth A. Jung, it is dedicated to preserving and communicating the political and intellectual legacy of Walther Rathenau, the German industrialist, essayist and foreign minister of the Weimar Republic. The institute takes Rathenau as a reference point for work on democratic values, tolerance, international understanding and Germany’s role in foreign policy. Its activities are primarily educational and intellectual rather than commercial. The foundation seeks to make Rathenau’s commitment to democratic politics and international cooperation accessible to a broad public, using political education, contributions, research projects and policy-oriented studies. Its work also addresses contemporary Germany-related issues through a liberal intellectual perspective associated with Rathenau’s legacy. A central public-facing activity is the annual Walther-Rathenau-Preis. The award recognizes notable contributions to foreign policy and is presented at a ceremony in Berlin. Recipients have included senior political figures and international institutions, including Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Shimon Peres, Hillary Clinton, Donald Tusk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mark Rutte, Queen Rania of Jordan, Guido Westerwelle, Angela Merkel, Margot Friedländer and Kaja Kallas. The prize is represented by a medal bearing Walther Rathenau’s portrait. The institute is organized through a board, an advisory board and management. Hartmuth A. Jung serves as chairman of the board. The advisory board has been chaired by founder Michael A. Gotthelf, while the wider governance structure has included parliamentarians, business leaders and other public figures. Mikolaj Ciechanowicz is identified as the institute’s manager. The organization is best understood as a civic-education and foreign-policy foundation rather than a conventional consumer brand, company or commercial think tank.

The Walther Rathenau Institut was founded in Berlin at the beginning of 2008 by publicist and entrepreneur Michael A. Gotthelf and Hartmuth A. Jung. Its creation established a foundation intended to connect the historical legacy of Walther Rathenau with contemporary German and international political discussion. Walther Rathenau was born in Berlin in 1867 and became known as an industrialist, writer and statesman. During the Weimar Republic he served as Germany’s foreign minister. The institute’s mission draws on these different aspects of his biography: economic and industrial experience, intellectual engagement and public service in foreign affairs. Rather than treating Rathenau solely as a historical figure, the foundation presents his commitment to democratic values, tolerance and international understanding as relevant to current political education. The institute conducts and supports political education for a broad public. Its work includes contributions and research projects in foreign policy, together with policy studies addressing contemporary Germany-related questions. The foundation characterizes this work as reflecting Rathenau’s liberal spirit. Its activities therefore combine remembrance, public discussion and policy analysis, with foreign policy serving as the main substantive field. The institute’s most prominent recurring initiative is the Walther-Rathenau-Preis, an annual award for outstanding work in foreign policy. The award is presented at a Berlin ceremony and takes the form of a medal bearing Rathenau’s portrait. The recipient list has included German and international statespersons, a monarch, a humanitarian institution and a prominent Holocaust survivor. This range indicates that the prize is intended to recognize diplomatic, political, humanitarian and civic contributions connected to international affairs. The organization is governed through a board and an advisory board, supported by professional management. Hartmuth A. Jung is identified as chairman of the board, while Michael A. Gotthelf, one of the founders, chairs the advisory board. Other named board or advisory-board members include Bijan Djir-Sarai, Florian Rentsch, Renata Alt, Klaus Heiermann, Andreas Reichel and Karl von Rohr. Mikolaj Ciechanowicz is identified as manager. The available reference material does not provide a detailed account of changes in governance, funding, staffing or program volume. It also does not establish a commercial parent company or ownership structure, consistent with the institute’s status as a non-profit foundation.

• 2024

  Kaja Kallas receives the institute’s award

  [1]Walther Rathenau Instituten.wikipedia.org

  Kaja Kallas of Estonia is listed as the 2024 recipient of the Walther-Rathenau-Preis.

• 2021

  Angela Merkel receives the institute’s award

  [1]Walther Rathenau Instituten.wikipedia.org

  Former German chancellor Angela Merkel is listed as the recipient of the Walther-Rathenau-Preis.

• 2008

  Foundation established in Berlin

  [1]Walther Rathenau Instituten.wikipedia.org

  The Walther Rathenau Institut is founded in Berlin on the initiative of Michael A. Gotthelf and Hartmuth A. Jung.

• 2008

  First listed Walther-Rathenau-Preis recipient

  [1]Walther Rathenau Instituten.wikipedia.org

  Hans-Dietrich Genscher is named the first recipient listed for the institute’s annual foreign-policy award.

A non-partisan, non-profit German foundation connecting the legacy of Walther Rathenau with democratic civic education, international understanding and contemporary foreign-policy analysis.

• Foreign-policy award · 2008

  Walther-Rathenau-Preis

  The institute’s annual award recognizes outstanding work in foreign policy. It is presented at a ceremony in Berlin and takes the form of a medal featuring a portrait of Walther Rathenau. Recipients have included national leaders, diplomats, humanitarian organizations and public figures whose work is associated with international understanding or foreign affairs.

• Research and analysis · 2008

  Foreign-policy research and policy studies

  The foundation supports contributions, research projects and policy studies dealing with foreign policy and contemporary Germany-related subjects. These activities are framed as policy-oriented work informed by Walther Rathenau’s liberal, democratic and internationalist legacy.

• Civic education · 2008

  Political education

  Political education is a core institutional activity. The institute aims to communicate Rathenau’s dedication to democracy, tolerance and international understanding to a broad public through educational and public-facing programming.

1. 1Walther Rathenau Instituten.wikipedia.org