Torgelow News

Success in the Federal President’s History Competition

Schloss Torgelow: Boarding School & High School Torgelow News Success in the Federal President’s History Competition

Every two years, the Körber Foundation organizes the Historical Competition of the Federal President. Students from the first grade onwards have the opportunity to engage intensively with a historical topic related to their family or place of residence over a period of six months. This year’s competition was themed “Up to Here and No Further?! Borders in History.” The word “borders” could be interpreted very freely: as national borders, generational boundaries, social, cultural, or linguistic borders, separations, or even border crossings.

Svea-Rose and Lilly from the Schloss Torgelow Boarding School chose a topic that remains relevant today: the former inner-German border until 1989/90. They researched the traces of this division and created their own podcast. In it, they talk to eyewitnesses from the GDR and FRG from their family circle, asking questions about life with the border and the perception of its emotional and societal legacy up to the present day.

The jury particularly praised the work. It was noted that the students examined their topic from various perspectives and carefully complemented the statements of the eyewitnesses with fact-checks. Their podcast was said to be better produced than some professional podcasts, according to the justification.

For this impressive achievement, Svea-Rose and Lilly received a scholarship of 200 euros. On July 2, 2025, they were invited to the ceremonial award ceremony in the state parliament in Schwerin. There, Beate Schluss, 1st Vice President of the State Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Dr. Thomas Paulsen, Chairman of the Körber Foundation, awarded them the certificates.

We sincerely congratulate Svea-Rose and Lilly on this outstanding achievement.