On February 10, 2026, at 6 pm, there will be a reading in the auditorium of the Humanistische Hochschule Berlin with Dr. phil. habil. Horst Groschopp on his book “Von der Freidenkerei zur Volksbildung. The ‘Neue Frankfurter Verlag’ and its history”. The event will be accompanied by a panel discussion with the author as well as Katrin Raczynski, spokeswoman of the board of the Humanist Federal Association of Germany, and Olaf Schlunke, Federal Commissioner for the History of Humanism.
This study explores the question of what influence publishing houses can have on ideological and political movements. It examines the history of the Neuer Frankfurter Verlag (1900-1936), founded by Arthur and Marie Pfungst, which played a central role in free-spirited and humanist publishing in the early 20th century.
Groschopp traces two phases of development: the early period characterized by freethinking and church-critical journalism and the later reorientation towards popular education from the mid-1920s. This reveals internal tensions – between liberal-humanist concepts of education, conservative interpretations of “popular education” and the political upheavals of the time. Another central theme is the Aryanization of Jewish foundations and the destruction of the publishing house under National Socialism.
The study is based on extensive archival work and sources that have hardly been analyzed to date, including the rediscovered inventory and balance book of the Neuer Frankfurter Verlag. The book also contains the first complete bibliography of the publishing house’s production.
About the author: Horst Groschopp is a cultural scientist and one of the most distinguished researchers on the history of humanism, the freethought movement and working-class culture. He was director of the Humanist Academies of Berlin-Brandenburg and Germany for many years and for many years chairman of the Humanist Association of Germany – Federal Association and is the editor of numerous publications and series of publications.
The book is available from Alibri Verlag.
Reading and panel discussion – From freethought to popular education
Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 6 p.m.
Humanistische Hochschule Berlin AdöR, Aula, Grabbeallee 36-40, 13156 Berlin
Admission free. Registration is not required.
You are very welcome! We look forward to your participation.
