Nietzsche on the 125th anniversary of his death: A monument to modern philosophy in Weimar!

Nietzsche on the 125th anniversary of his death: A monument to modern philosophy in Weimar!

On August 25, 2025, a special event will be celebrated in Weimar: the 125th anniversary of Friedrich Nietzsche's death. This occasion attracts worldwide attention because on this day the President of the German UNESCO Commission, Maria Böhmer, presents the Klassik Stiftung Weimar with a certificate that officially includes Nietzsche's literary legacy in the UNESCO World Documentary Heritage. This award not only highlights the importance of his writings, but also recognizes the influence that Nietzsche had on humanity's cultural memory. According to the Klassik Stiftung reports, that Nietzsche's manuscripts and letters are now viewed as a valuable treasure for scholarship and research.

Nietzsche's estate, which includes manuscripts, notes and letters, is largely kept in Weimar. This reflects the life of a 19th century scholar who observed the cultural upheavals of his time with great keenness. His works address, among other things, the rise of industrial culture and the loss of common religious orientations, which brought with it uncertainty for many people at the time meine-kirchenzeitung.de. Not least because of this, Nietzsche is still considered a controversial figure today, whose ideas inspire and at the same time divide many aspects of modern, de-Christianized society.

Transfer to the world document heritage

The ceremonial handover of the certificate takes place as part of a festive program that underlines Nietzsche's important role in the intellectual history of Thuringia. Thuringia's Minister of Education, Christian Tischner, emphasizes how important Nietzsche's contribution is to the intellectual openness of today. His estate is represented not only in Weimar, but also in other institutions such as the University Library of Basel and the Duchess Anna Amalia Library, where some of his personal books are kept unesco.de.

Since April 11, 2025, Nietzsche's literary estate has also been part of UNESCO's "Memory of the World" register, which further emphasizes its international importance. The majority of manuscripts and letters can now be viewed online via the Nietzsche Source research platform. Joachim-Felix Leonhard, chairman of the German nomination committee, says that Nietzsche's manuscripts are invaluable for science and research.

Historical contextualization

The discussion of Nietzsche's work was not always unproblematic in German history. In the GDR, for example, Nietzsche was viewed as frowned upon for decades because the SED leadership classified his writings as dangerous and ordered the Nietzsche archive to be closed. These controversial views, as well as his statement “God is dead!”, have led to his rejection and an ambiguous perception of his person meine-kirchenzeitung.de. While some see Nietzsche as a pioneer of National Socialism, which led to its rejection in the GDR, others see him as a profound thinker whose ideas still trigger profound discussions today.

Nietzsche's legacy not only bears witness to an important philosopher, but also offers valuable insights into the society and culture of his time. His thoughts on the challenges of the modern world are as relevant as ever and stimulate intensive debates about values ​​and belief systems classik-stiftung.de.