The Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Gesellschaft e. V. and the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e. V. are showing from March 19, 2026 Exhibition „Paths to Peace: Consequences of War and Peace Processes“ in the Jahn Hall of Honor in Freyburg (Unstrut).
The occasion is the Democracy History Day, who at March 18, 2026 for the first time nationwide under the patronage of the Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier takes place. With the exhibition, the Jahn Museum follows the call of the Federal President to the places of democratic history to participate in this day with their own events.
More information at: https://www.demokratie-geschichte.de/index.php/12842/18-maerz-tag-der-demokratiegeschichte-2026/
Since 2019, the Friedrich Ludwig Jahn Museum in Freyburg (Unstrut) part of the initiative „Places of the history of democracy“In this capacity, the museum sees itself not only as a memorial to a historical figure, but also as a forum for engaging with democratic developments, ruptures, and challenges. The history of democracy is closely linked to questions of war, violence, peace treaties, and societal restructuring – it is also a history of the struggle for freedom, participation, and the rule of law.
The by the People's Association for German War Graves. The developed traveling exhibition addresses these connections. In light of increasing instability and armed conflicts in Europe and worldwide, it illuminates historical and current peace processes. It shows which steps, prerequisites, and societal forces are necessary to develop sustainable peace orders from conflicts. In doing so, it directly builds upon the democratic history work of the Jahn Museum.
As a participatory component of the event, on March 18th a Peace Monument Workshop with students from the Friedrich Ludwig Jahn Secondary School Freyburg. The young people create so-called „peace tiles,“ which are then presented as part of the exhibition.
The exhibition is supplemented by six panels from the exhibition „Exhibition Name" shown in 2013 at the Leipzig Museum of City History.„The Great Leap. Sports Legends Luz Long and Jesse Owens“It addresses one of the most famous sports friendships in history: the encounter between Germany's Luz Long and American athlete Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. In an era of National Socialist racial ideology, Long's fairness towards Owens set an example of humanity and athletic integrity. Long died in the war in Sicily in 1943.
This also highlights the peacemaking power of sports. Sporting encounters facilitate understanding across political and cultural boundaries and promote values such as fairness, respect, and mutual recognition – ideas that go back to the origins of the Friedrich Ludwig Jahn demonstrate the substantiated turn toward sport and show that sport can still contribute to peace today.
The exhibition is from March 19 to an estimated May 9, 2026 to see.
Ort: 
Jahn-Ehrenhalle
Schützenstraße 17
06632 Freyburg (Unstrut)
Opening hours:
Thursday and Friday, 10 AM - 4 PM
as well as every second Saturday (March 21st; April 4th; April 18th; May 2nd; May 9th) from 10 AM to 4 PM
Admission is free. Donations for the new permanent exhibition at the Jahn Museum and for the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e. V. (German War Graves Commission) are welcome.
The exhibition is dedicated to the Member of Parliament who unexpectedly passed away in January Rüdiger Erben (1967–2026) dedicated. As state chairman of the People's Association for War Grave Care and a long-time supporter of the Jahn Museum, he had initiated the exhibition in the Jahn Hall of Honor on the occasion of the Day of Democratic History.
