Dr. Kurt Biedenkopf, former secretary-general of the CDU, tapped as chair of Advisory Council

To improve the quality of the foundation's work, Reinhard Mohn forms an Advisory Council in 1983, naming Dr. Kurt Biedenkopf as the Council's first chair.


Research project "The European cultural realm – Strategies and options for the future of Europe"

To cope with new challenges in Europe and around the world, Europeans must develop closer cooperation, more efficient politics and swifter evolution of social structures. The central problem of European politics lies in boosting Europe’s decision-making capacity, which in turn requires advances in European integration. Here it is important to preserve the concept of a free society that grew out of the European tradition as well as to respect the identity of the various national and regional cultures. With this basic understanding, the Bertelsmann Stiftung initiated the project "Strategies and Options for the Future of Europe." The project's goal is to develop practical, long-term solutions for problems with an impact on different policy areas and to create a strategic proposal for addressing the issue of integration in Europe. The main concern is to ask what is politically necessary, rather than focusing solely on what seems politically feasible. By identifying such possible solutions, we aim to encourage the process of European integration while highlighting the need to formulate an overall European strategy. Thus, the project is strictly problem-oriented and intended as an avenue for policy advising.


NEUE STIMMEN International Singing Contest begins; symposium on "Culturebetween the State and Commerce"

The prize winners with Reinhard Mohn and jury president August Everding. From left: August Everding, Tania Christova, Nathalie Stutzmann, Andrzej Dobber and Reinhard Mohn.The NEUE STIMMEN Singing Contest gives young European opera singers the opportunity to take the stage before an audience of experts while accompanied by an orchestra, a first for such contests. Later held once every two years starting in 1991, the competition is soon established as a key event on the worldwide opera calendar. The inaugural competition brings 29 opera singers from 13 countries to Gütersloh. Contralto Nathalie Stutzmann of France takes first place, winning DM10,000. Second place (DM5,000) goes to Tanja Christova, a lyric soprano from Bulgaria. Bass/baritone Andrzej Dobber of Poland comes in third, winning DM3,000.

The Bertelsmann Stiftung hosts a symposium in tandem with the NEUE STIMMEN International Singing Contest. In 1987, Dr. Klaus von Dohnanyi; Prof. Hilmar Hoffmann, head of the cultural affairs department in Frankfurt am Main; Prof. Alexander Kluge, a filmmaker, producer and writer; Hellmuth Matiasek, director of the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich; and Reinhard Mohn discuss the topic "Culture between State and Commerce." About 200 people from cultural, political, economic and media circles participate in the symposium, which is led by Prof. August Everding.