About the production

Start

7:30 p.m.

End

9 p.m.

»Hope for limits – limits of hope: Can people grow beyond their limits?« Let's Debate!

In south-east Saxony, where Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland meet, the borders lost much of their sharpness after reunification. Of course, the lines where one state ends and another begins were still beyond doubt. But in everyday life, in the encounters and movements of people in the region, they no longer seemed to play a major role. Recently, however, we have been experiencing a resurgence of borders – physical, political and cultural. What do these experiences of structural change, global developments, mobility and the search for belonging mean for our understanding of hope? What do they mean for our future?

In this edition of »Streit & Zuversicht«, the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS and Holtzbrinck Berlin invite the audience to discuss the ambivalence of borders. The starting point is the documentary film »Changinge Sides« (2025) by Loraine Blumenthal. It tells the story of Thomas »Eichi« Eichstätt, who left the far-right scene and now coaches a group of young refugees in a football club. The documentary shows a multi-layered process of crossing borders, which is challenging on a personal, social and political level and at the same time gives hope. Highly recommended! Of course, anyone who has not (yet) seen the film is also welcome to take part in the discussion.

Together, the central question of this story is to be considered further and made the basis of a public debate: »Can people grow beyond their limits?« Let's debate!

Experts from different walks of life will come together for the debate. Loraine Blumenthal, director of »Changing Sides«, Thomas Zenker, Mayor of Zittau, Sebastian Krumbiegel from the band »Die Prinzen« and und Dresden's city writer Alexander Estis. Moderation: Greta Taubert.

Together with the audience, we will discuss when borders provide support and when they exclude. What does belonging mean in a changing region? How can a common public sphere be created that truly includes people in border regions with different biographies and histories?

»Streit & Zuversicht« is a series of events organised by the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS and Holtzbrinck Berlin. This edition takes place at the Lausitz Festival. The event series offers a place for anyone who is interested in real arguments, who is curious and willing to question their own attitude.

Recommendation: Podcast with Loraine Blumenthal at Deutschlandfunk Kultur

Admission to this event is free. Spontaneous visitors, welcome!

By bus & train to the event

Why don't you leave your car at home and come to the event by public transport? Click on the button to calculate your route. The destination is already pre-filled in the trip planner.

We owe this service for the Lausitz Festival to the transport associations VVO, VBB and ZVON.

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Director »Changing Sides«

Loraine Blumenthal

Loraine Blumenthal is a documentary filmmaker from Berlin with many years of experience in film production.

Her first feature-length documentary »The Mayor's Race« was shown at over 30 international festivals and won several awards. As a freelance producer and archive producer, she works for public broadcasters such as Arte, ZDF, 3Sat and WDR.

Her second film »Changing Sides« (ZDF – Kleines Fernsehspiel) had its National Premiere at the Docfest Munich (Official Selection: German Competition & VFF Production Award) and MVFilmkunstfest (Winner: WIR Diversity Award & »Shot in MV«-Award) and was selected for the first Impact Lab in Germany. Loraine is an alumni of the

IDFAcademy and is currently working as a freelancer for independent film productions.

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Mayor of Zittau

Thomas Zenker

Thomas Zenker lives with his family in Zittau, where he grew up. He has been mayor of the district town of Zittau since 2015. He has been politically active since 2014 in the voter association »Zittau kann mehr«, which he co-founded, initially as faction leader in the Zittau city council and as district councillor in the Görlitz district.

After completing his master's degree in Journalism, Communication Studies and Modern German literature in Berlin, he went on to complete postgraduate studies in project management in Zittau. His professional career has included working as a language and communication trainer, freelance journalist and project manager in the field of contemporary history and civil society.

With his many years of experience in local politics, Thomas Zenker brings a perspective from the border region of Saxony, Poland and the Czech Republic to the discussion.

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Singer and Musician

Sebastian Krumbiegel

Sebastian Krumbiegel is a German singer and musician. He is the frontman of the band »Die Prinzen«, but also active as a solo artist. To date, he has released 12 studio albums with »Die Prinzen« and 5 solo albums. Sebastian Krumbiegel is not only a musician and performer, but also politically and socially engaged. He is co-organiser of the festival »Leipzig – Courage zeigen« against racism and xenophobia and is actively involved in the fight against hatred, incitement and exclusion.

Writer, Columnist & Dresden City Writer

Alexander Estis

Alexander Estis is a writer. Born in Moscow in 1986 into a Jewish family of artists, he came to Germany in 1996. Alexander Estis is currently Dresden's city writer.

After completing his studies, he taught German language and literature at various universities. He has been living in Switzerland since 2016. Alexander Estis has published a total of seven books to date. In 2025, his essay collection »Schergenstaat Russland. Ideologie, Propaganda, Repression und Widerstand« (NZZ Libro) and his collection of short prose »Am Anfang war Schmonzes. Jüdische Satiren« (Satyr). Alexander Estis writes columns, essays and commentaries for DIE ZEIT, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and other newspapers. His radio reports are regularly broadcast on Deutschlandfunk. He has received several awards for his work, most recently the Kurt Tucholsky Prize.

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Moderation

Greta Taubert

Greta Taubert is an author based in Leipzig and Berlin. In her books, essays, reports and performances, she explores the question of what a good life for everyone might look like in the face of climate catastrophe and conflict. Her main areas of interest are utopias, post-growth, transformation, the circular economy, East German identity and subculture.

Born in Thuringia, she writes for Die Zeit, Zeit Magazin and SZ Magazin, among others, and never leaves home without her notebook and cocoa beans. Her latest book, »Guten Morgen, du Schöner«, a collection of transcripts from third-generation East German men, was published by Aufbau-Verlag. She has won several awards.

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