Die Zeit – Wiederholt sich Geschichte, Ute Frevert?

In the ZEIT podcast ‘Nur eine Frage’ (Just one question), Ute Frevert, director emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, explains why, although current crises may feel familiar, history does not simply repeat itself.

In light of the current crises, such as technological upheaval, environmental destruction and hostility towards democracy, the question of whether history repeats itself is being raised with increasing frequency. In the ZEIT podcast Nur eine Frage, Ute Frevert, director emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, critically examines this widespread assumption. She emphasises that history does not follow fixed patterns, but is open-ended and strongly shaped by the respective context. While certain themes, such as societal fears or doubts about democratic institutions, do recur, their causes and manifestations differ. The desire for clear historical analogies can obscure our view of differences, coincidences and room for manoeuvre.
At the same time, she highlights the role of emotions: feelings such as fear and trust influence political dynamics and shape how societies respond to crises.

Full podcast: Die Zeit | 08.04.2026 (German)

Youtube video version of the podcast: Die Zeit | 08.04.2026 (German)