From Arenenberg to the present
A conversation with Peter Sloterdijk about power, equality and Napoleon III.
What can Napoleon III tell us about power, political staging, and our present day? Just one kilometer from Lilienberg, Louis-Napoléon grew up on Arenenberg. Peter Sloterdijk takes him as the starting point for a conversation about charisma and rule, equality and democracy, and about why strong political figures continue to exert such a powerful fascination. The discussion spans from Napoleon III to Donald Trump and the question of how resilient our democracies are.
Speaker: Peter Sloterdijk
Peter Sloterdijk, born in 1947, is one of the best-known contemporary German-speaking philosophers and essayists. His international breakthrough came in 1983 with "Critique of Cynical Reason," followed later by, among other works, the monumental "Spheres" trilogy and numerous other works on social and cultural philosophy.
From 2001 to 2015, he was rector of the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design, where he taught philosophy and aesthetics. His thinking is characterized by the connection between broad historical perspectives and incisive diagnoses of the present.
In 2026, his essay "The Prince and His Heirs" was published, in which Napoleon III also plays a central role in the question of power, charisma and the political leaders of our time.
Our Process
Note for our members: This evening, we will exceptionally not be serving a three-course dinner at the restaurant, but will instead offer a reception with refreshments following the discussion. Tickets are therefore only available including the reception.
