Overview
- Deutschlandfunk Kultur announced the four-part series on Wednesday, and the first episode will be available in the Deutschlandfunk app on October 14 with a radio broadcast on October 16.
- Each meeting lasts 90 minutes, of which 60 minutes will be broadcast and 30 minutes will remain confidential to encourage more open exchanges.
- Moderator Korbinian Frenzel will lead the conversations and the first episode will focus on what makes a democracy and the value of compromise.
- More than 70 classes applied and five schools from Potsdam, Lingen, Cottbus, Bergedorf and Lübz were chosen to take part in the opening session.
- The format signals a public outreach move by a low-profile former leader and could shape civic education by giving students direct access to Merkel’s three decades of political experience.