Meet a Bundestag Member: German Politics Today - Jürgen Hardt

Meet a Bundestag Member: German Politics Today

Background

The American Council on Germany (ACG), the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG), and the German Studies Association (GSA) have launched a new virtual series, Meet a Bundestag Member: German Politics Today. The series offers students of German language and culture the chance to engage directly with members of the German Bundestag on timely political issues while practicing their German language skills.

The fourth session will take place on November 16 at 11:00 AM ET and will feature Jürgen Hardt, who will join ACG President Dr. Steven E. Sokol for a 45-minute moderated discussion — held in German — incorporating questions posed by the audience.

Jürgen Hardt is a German politician and member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), serving as the foreign policy spokesperson of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag and chairing its Foreign Affairs Working Group.

Hardt began his political career within the CDU after studying economics and serving as Chairman of the Association of CDU Students from 1987 to 1989. Following nearly a decade working for the party, he moved into the private sector in the media industry while remaining active in local politics in Wuppertal. He served on the Wuppertal City Council from 2004 until his election to the German Bundestag in 2009.

From 2014 to 2018, Hardt served as the German Government’s Coordinator of Transatlantic Cooperation under Chancellor Angela Merkel, where he worked to strengthen relations between Germany, the United States, and Canada. In the Bundestag, he continues to focus on German foreign policy and transatlantic relations. He also serves as an alternate member of the Committee on European Union Affairs and the Defence Committee.

Hardt previously served four years in the German Navy, attaining the rank of First Lieutenant.

Goal:

The American Council on Germany (ACG), the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG), and the German Studies Association (GSA) have collaborated sporadically over the years and are now jointly collaborating on a program to promote the value of the German-American partnership and reach a wider collective audience.

The three organizations are introducing a new virtual series entitled “German Politics Today: Meet a Bundestag Member” that consists of ACG-moderated discussions, in German, with members of the German Bundestag on issues ranging from the transatlantic relationship and German reunification to citizen engagement. The goal of the series is to engage younger Americans enrolled in German language programs and other German studies students, to inform them about current issues in Germany, and to give them an opportunity to utilize their German listening, writing, and speaking skills as part of their German language courses in high school and college.

Series Description

The series will begin in September 2025 with subsequent discussions taking place every 4-8 weeks until the end of the year. Each MdB Conversation will be 45 minutes in length and will take place using Zoom. The format will be a moderated conversation between ACG President Dr. Steven E. Sokol and the invited MdB (perhaps two) for approximately 25-30 minutes. Dr. Sokol will incorporate pre-submitted questions and those posted in the Q&A into the conversation, giving students and other attendees an opportunity to actively engage with the Bundestag member(s). The sessions will begin at 11 AM ET.

The ACG will invite a diverse range of MdBs representing the political parties in the Bundestag. Each session will focus on a timely and relevant topic.

ACG, AATG and GSA members, and their students, will be invited to the MdB Conversations and will have the opportunity to watch live and participate in the discussion. The sessions will also be recorded and available for viewing on all organizations’ websites. Additionally, each conversation will be made into a podcast which will be available to each organization’s respective memberships and available to German teachers and professors to use as part of their lessons, such as for German listening comprehension and writing assignments.

Outcomes and Learning Objectives

· Improve students’ listening comprehension and conversational skills in German

· Deepen understanding of contemporary German political issues

· Strengthen interest in transatlantic dialogue and democratic participation

· Foster intercultural competence through direct engagement