An award for civil commitment

Mayor Thomas Nitzsche congratulates Jena guest scientist Irina Scherbakowa and MEMORIAL on winning the Nobel Peace Prize

Jena's Lord Mayor Thomas Nitzsche was delighted to hear the news about the selection of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize Committee. With the human rights organization Memorial and its founder Prof. Irina Scherbakowa, an outstanding representative of civil society engagement was honored. Ms. Scherbakowa currently holds a visiting professorship at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, she left her home country and is now working at the Imre Kertész Kolleg Jena.

Thomas Nitzsche on the award:

"Irina Scherbakowa is being honored as an admonisher against forgetting and against silence. Her work shows how important it is to remember together the suffering caused by war, totalitarianism and dictatorships. Her commitment to the victims of Stalinism since the 1970s is exemplary of the courage of many committed people who do not want to remain silent and ultimately succeed time and again in breaking down walls of silence. Ms. Scherbakowa was quick to warn against Putin and his power games, which are now causing so much suffering in Ukraine and also in Russia.

The city of Jena is aware of the honor of having such a renowned scientist as a guest. Especially with regard to our application for the Future Center for German Unity and European Transformation, your expertise and experience are a great asset. I would also like to thank the University of Jena for their help in making the guest professorship possible and Volkhard Knigge, who has already carried out many projects with the Nobel Prize winner.

I congratulate Prof. Scherbakowa from the bottom of my heart."