New governing body for the Bertelsmann Stiftung

On January 1, 1993, Reinhard Mohn institutes an executive board. Professor Ulrich Saxer, a Swiss expert in media and communication science, and Professor Werner Weidenfeld, a political scientist at the University of Mainz, are appointed as members. Reinhard Mohn remains the chairman.


Frank Trümper becomes executive director

On July 1, 1993, Frank Trümper becomes the new executive director of the Bertelsmann Stiftung, which now employs a staff of 47. On the same day, Wolfgang Koeckstadt becomes the foundation's deputy executive director and head of Administration and Human Resources.


Transfer of shares

On September 16, 1993, the Bertelsmann Stiftung receives those shares in Bertelsmann AG held by the Mohn family (68.8 percent). The resulting dividends increase the endowment of the Bertelsmann Stiftung and make it possible for the foundation to expand its project work.


First edition of the "FORUM" newsletter published

The quarterly newsletter, in German, reports on the Bertelsmann Stiftung's project work and key activities.


Jerusalem City Council bestows honorary title "Ne'eman Yerushalayim" on the Bertelsmann Stiftung

In June 1993, Jerusalem designates the Bertelsmann Stiftung a recipient of the city's highest honor.

Reinhard and Liz Mohn travel to Jerusalem to accept the tribute in person. The certificate reads, "The Bertelsmann Stiftung has demonstrated its commitment to Israel and especially to Jerusalem through many different efforts to advance the country's development in the field of education and the media and to promote the cultural exchange of ideas and democratic values, such as tolerance and peaceful coexistence."


NEUE STIMMEN International Singing Competition

For the fifth time, the Bertelsmann Stiftung organizes the NEUE STIMMEN International Singing Competition, together with Professor August Everding, president of the Deutscher Bühnenverein (the German Theater and Orchestra Association) and general director of the Bavarian State Theater, as well as Professor Hellmuth Matiasek, chair of the directors' group of the Deutscher Bühnenverein and director of the Bavarian State Theater at Gärtnerplatz, Munich. The final round is held on October 13-16, 1993, in Gütersloh. German President Dr. Richard von Weizsäcker assumes the role of the competition's sponsor.

First prize in the competition goes to Russian soprano Marina Ivanova, who wins DM10,000. Italian soprano Laura Polverelli, takes second place (DM6,000), while German soprano Nicola Beller is awarded the third prize (DM3,000).


1993 Carl Bertelsmann Prize: Democracy and efficiency in local government

Local government agencies throughout Germany face a difficult situation. The financial crisis is worsening, citizens are demanding more and more of public service organizations, and employees want a sense of fulfillment in their jobs. This is the setting for the 1993 Carl Bertelsmann Prize. Public administration finds itself having to reconcile widely varying demands: Mounting criticism of public administration increasingly compels people in positions of authority to examine traditional structures for efficiency and meaningfulness. Particularly in the area of local government, the Bertelsmann Stiftung strives to develop examples of how traditional bureaucracies can be transformed into democratically governed service providers. Working with competent partners and committed German municipalities, the Bertelsmann Stiftung carries out practice-oriented projects that focus on voluntary and public-sector community services. The project work highlights the tremendous need for developing administrative structures that are efficient, flexible, employee-centered and responsive to the public. Reinhard Mohn presents certificates to Vicki Buck, mayor of Christchurch (New Zealand), and Calvin C. Goode, a city council member in Phoenix, Arizona (USA). More than 700 guests from public administration, business, academia and the media attend the awards ceremony at the Gütersloh Stadthalle. The extensive research was conducted for the Bertelsmann Stiftung under the direction of Professor Banner, in collaboration with internationally recognized administrative experts and external corporate consultants.


2nd International Bertelsmann Forum: "Europe's future – The political agenda for the 1990s"

The high point in the foundation's political project work is the second International Bertelsmann Forum, which addresses the topic of "Europe's future – The political agenda for the 1990s." The weekend event is attended by leading European politicians, who gather at the German government's Petersberg guesthouse near Bonn.

Participants agree that Western Europe should serve as the core of a pan-European order and that the upheaval taking place in Eastern Europe and the need for structural modernization in Western Europe must be tackled jointly by East and West. Preparation for the conference has entailed reviewing questions, analyses and results from every project in the realm of politics. Discussions among the 50 participants representing politics, economics, academia and the media – among them 26 officials (heads of state and government, heads of foreign, defense, economics and finance ministries) – are based on a comprehensive strategy paper entitled "Was Europa leisten soll" ("What Europe should do").


Academy of the German Book Trade

To develop the systematic credentialing and continuing education of current and future leaders in the book trade "from within," the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the German Publishers and Booksellers Association in Munich establish an academy that has offered professional seminars since autumn of 1993. Employees of publishing houses and bookstores can learn about industry-specific as well as management-specific topics. The two- to three-day seminars address staff management, controlling, legal issues, project management and self-management. As of 1999, the Academy has ten members and the legal form of a nonprofit limited company (GmbH).


Center for Hospital Management founded

Hospitals today are asked to carry out medical, nursing and administrative processes more economically without diminishing the quality of care (processes, social aspects and outcomes). In the past, the maxim held that quality costs money, innovation takes time and a shorter hospital stay requires additional capacity. This credo is now giving way to a new management paradigm. In the future, higher quality and effective healthcare innovations must be achieved in a shorter time with a downward trend in costs. As a result, hospital management is called upon to reconcile presumably conflicting objectives by applying intelligent organizational and leadership concepts.