A recent interview with LBI International President Michael Brenner in the Jüdische Allgemeine – Germany’s leading Jewish newspaper – comes at a time of heightened global uncertainty and renewed debate over the role of scholarship in society. Brenner, a historian recognised as a ‘guardian of Jewish history’, has long argued that research and memory are not ends in themselves but essential tools for engaging with the most pressing issues of our time.
In the article, Brenner addresses the growing threats to academic freedom and the politicisation of higher education, warning that the integrity of research and the independence of universities are being challenged across democracies and authoritarian regimes alike. The past year has seen mounting political interference in academic institutions, with new legal restrictions, funding pressures, and ideological attacks on scholars and curricula. These trends, Brenner suggests, are not isolated but part of a broader erosion of democratic norms and minority protections worldwide.
Brenner’s perspective is shaped by his international experience, co-ordinating the LBI’s work across London, Jerusalem, and New York, and his academic leadership in both Europe and the United States. He insists that the lessons of German-Jewish history – of migration, adaptation, and resilience – remain urgently relevant. The stories preserved by the LBI are not only about the past but also about how societies respond to exclusion, prejudice, and the challenges of integration.
As the LBI marks its 70th anniversary, Brenner’s article serves as a timely reminder: safeguarding academic freedom and historical memory is not a luxury but a necessity for open, democratic societies. The Institute’s work – rooted in research, teaching, and public engagement – continues to illuminate the enduring significance of German-Jewish experiences for contemporary debates about identity, democracy, and human rights.
You can read the full article (in German) here: https://www.juedische-allgemeine.de/kultur/die-wissenschaft-ist-keine-oase
