Jena Lokal - Local News, Events & Culture
Your update on city life, tips, and upcoming events in Jena.
Jena, 16.06.2026 – The Friedrich-Schiller-Universität (FSU) shapes the life, economy, and cityscape of Jena like almost no other institution. An upcoming TV documentary on MDR takes this as an opportunity to shed light on the profound historical and current role of the university for Thuringia’s City of Light.
Jena, June 01, 2026. The Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena has shaped the face of the city on the Saale for centuries. A new documentary by MDR now highlights the historical development of this tradition-rich educational institution and its path to becoming a University of Excellence.
Jena, May 29, 2026 – Anyone in possession of old family letters, diaries, or certificates often faces a barrier: historical German handwriting is barely legible to untrained eyes. A new course at the Volkshochschule (vhs) Jena provides a remedy and teaches the basics of decoding historical documents.
The scientific project “Geschichte statt Mythen” at Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena investigates historical revisionism and Nazi myths in Thüringen, with a focus on Nordhausen and the Mittelbau-Dora Memorial.
Jena, 08.05.2026. Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena is dedicating a large-scale project to the lives of people in the region around the year 1600. The research is the subject of various TV magazines this Friday.
“Tell us your GLASHAUS story!” With this appeal, the Glashaus im Paradies e.V. is currently reaching out to the population of Jena to collect personal memories of the iconic glass pavilion in Paradiespark via postcards.
Jena, 02.05.2026 – Following Carl Zeiß, the Jena scientist and entrepreneur Ernst Abbe is now also receiving his own Playmobil figure. The detailed miniature edition, showing Abbe together with a cat, honors the life’s work of the significant reformer.
On today’s Labor Day, historical images from Jena’s city history come into focus. During the GDR era, participation in large-scale May Day demonstrations was a fixed, almost mandatory part of the annual cycle for most citizens.
After extensive restoration work spanning several decades, the historic Lobdeburg ruins overlooking the Saaletal are now once again fully open to the public.
Jena, April 22, 2026. To mark the 125th anniversary of Jenaer Nahverkehr, a monthly anniversary quiz is launching immediately. Until the end of the year, interested parties can test their knowledge about the history of buses and trams in the City of Light.