At the instigation of State Minister Weimer, prominent associations and institutions from the fields of culture, design, crafts, architecture, as well as representatives of the churches, have jointly signed the Bauhaus Manifesto 2026. This manifesto is understood as a contemporary cultural and socio-political commitment. It reaffirms the principles that have established the Bauhaus as a globally influential cultural icon to this day.
The document emphasises the freedom of artistic thought, openness to new ideas and the connection between different disciplines. A central idea is the conviction that cultural innovation can make a significant contribution to the development of a democratic society. At the same time, the manifesto serves as a plea to defend the principles of the Bauhaus against anti-democratic attacks.
The Bauhaus, founded in Weimar in 1919, had to be re-opened in Dessau in 1926 after its expulsion from Weimar — exactly 100 years ago. A further relocation to Berlin in 1933 led to its definitive closure under pressure from the National Socialists. The Bauhaus sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau are now recognised as UNESCO World Heritage, which underscores their global cultural relevance.
The signatories of the manifesto include a broad selection of personalities and organisations that reflect the multifaceted nature of Bauhaus principles. These stakeholders are jointly committed to preserving and further developing the underlying values that have shaped the design of living spaces and cultural development for decades.
- —Prof. Manos Tsangaris as President of the Akademie der Künste (Academy of Arts).
- —Dr. Wolfram Weimer, State Minister for Culture and Media and Commissioner of the Federal Government for Culture and Media.
- —Andrea Gebhard, President of the Bundesarchitektenkammer (Federal Chamber of Architects).
- —Dr. Gerhard Feige, Bishop of the Diocese of Magdeburg, for the Deutsche Bischofskonferenz (German Bishops' Conference).
- —Prof. Dr. Maria Böhmer as President of the Deutsche UNESCO-Kommission (German UNESCO Commission).
- —Boris Kochan, President of the Deutscher Designtag e.V. (German Design Day Association).
- —Olaf Zimmermann, Managing Director of the Deutscher Kulturrat e.V. (German Cultural Council Association).
- —Menekse Wenzler, President of the Deutscher Museumsbund e.V. (German Museum Association).
- —Burkhard Jung, President of the Deutscher Städtetag (German Association of Cities).
- —Prof. Dr. Meike Hopp, Board Member of the Deutsches Zentrum Kulturgutverluste (German Lost Art Foundation).
- —Karsten Wolkenhauer, Church President of the Evangelische Landeskirche Anhalts (Protestant Church of Anhalt).
- —Lutz Dietzold, Managing Director of the German Design Council – Rat für Formgebung.
- —Paul Spies, President of ICOM Deutschland e.V.
- —Holger Schwannecke, Secretary General of the Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks (German Confederation of Skilled Crafts).
The signing of this manifesto by such diverse and high-ranking institutions underscores the enduring relevance of Bauhaus ideas for contemporary society and their potential to serve as a guiding principle for future developments in culture and architecture.
