FREI – What does freedom mean today?

An art and film project marking the anniversary of the Peasants' War

Freedom – a word with a long history and great significance. Five hundred years ago, the call for freedom echoed through Thuringia as people revolted against oppression in the Peasants' War. It was a fight for rights, justice and self-determination. Today, freedom is still central – but more multifaceted and complex than ever. With the historical echoes in mind, we created a film project that takes a contemporary approach to the concept of freedom. What does freedom mean today? And how differently do people experience it depending on where they come from, what their lives are like and their perspectives.

In eight different workshops, people from all over Thuringia came together to explore precisely these questions. In a creative process, they developed fragments like pieces for a mosaic that was to become the German word ‘FREI’ (free). Each of these modules represents the individual, powerful, personal perspective of a group. The process was captured on film. And the impressions became part of a three-minute short film that not only documents the project but also captures the essence of the discussions. The workshops took place at eight different locations in Thuringia, each with its own atmosphere, history and energy. This allowed each group to become a sounding board for the individual thoughts, feelings and artistic expressions of its members.

Eight perspectives on freedom

The event kicked off at a place where freedom has been a subject of theological and social discussions for centuries: the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt. Together with Pastor Bernd Prigge, the monastery staff explored the spiritual dimension of freedom. They discussed inner liberation, faith as a space for self-determination, but also responsibility, humility and boundaries. In the silence of the monastery walls, moving ideas emerged that made the historical depth of the project immediately tangible.

Working with ‘Volk von Caraslan’ (The people of Caraslan) was completely different, but no less impressive. This club of Middle Ages fans from Gera focuses on showing what everyday life was like at another time. While they discussed freedom in their clubhouse, they looked at historical role models with the question in mind what ‘freedom’ means today, contrasting it with the past. As a result, past and present formed interesting new links allowing history to mirror the questions of today.

In Eisenach, more precisely in the Werner Aßmann Hall, our film crew met with energy, determination and team spirit. The wheelchair handball players of THSV Eisenach (Blue Lions) used the workshop not only for a general reflection on the concept of freedom, but also for an emotional exchange about barriers, both visible and invisible. Their perspectives on freedom are characterised by self-empowerment, community and an impressive fighting spirit. Their contribution conveys strength and shows that freedom begins where participation becomes possible.

The workshop at the ‘Schwungfabrik’ with the improvisational theatre group Stellwerk Weimar was creative, playful, and profound. Freedom became a stage here: improvised, acted out, questioned. The participants created scenes in which political, personal and absurd dimensions of freedom overlapped. The creative process showed that freedom is also a space for experimenting – including the possibility to fail.

Within the venerable walls of Wartburg Castle, or more precisely in the grand hall, a group gathered that approached the topic in a particularly clever and surprising way: the Little Philosophers' Club, a philosophy club for children. With clear vision and great seriousness, they discussed questions that adults often avoid: Can you do whatever you want? Where does the freedom of others begin? Can you have too much freedom? Their childlike logic unfolded an astonishing depth and showed that freedom begins with questions, not answers.

Another approach emerged at Retronom Erfurt, where a group of sprayers and street artists came together. Their work is an expression of contemporary urban culture. The workshop became an exploration of public space, visibility and the desire to express yourself. Freedom here translated into action or maybe interaction of colour and surface. The result was a visually impressive piece of the mosaic that fits powerfully into the overall composition.

At the lofty heights of Grenzadler in Oberhof, a group of Gravl bikers, who meet regularly in the Thuringian Forest, took yet another look at the idea of freedom. Their exchange was about nature, movement, speed – but also mindfulness, sustainability and the question of whether freedom always has to do with escaping from something or also with arriving somewhere. Their work reflects an existential side of freedom: connecting with the nature surrounding you, letting go and being mindful of the moment.

Last in the row was a workshop at the Centre for Integration and Migration (ZIM) in Erfurt. Here, employees of the centre met with migrants who in their daily work or biographical experience are confronted with the issue of freedom in very practical ways. This resulted in moving stories about new beginnings, hard-won rights and the struggle for a life in safety. Their perspectives are characterised by gratitude, but also by a clear awareness of structural hurdles and social challenges.

The result of the workshops is more than just a work of art. It is a collective statement – a polyphonic expression of experiences, attitudes and hopes. Each group not only designed its individual piece of the mosaic but also filled it with meaning. When put together, the result is an image that reveals both individual and common features. It shows that freedom is not a state, but a process – a constant space for negotiation between the individual and the collective, between the past and the future.