The Forum of the Aachener Zeitung invites all interested parties to a discussion entitled "Freedom of the press as a cornerstone of democracy" on Thursday, March 6, at 7 pm. The event will take place in the Forum of the Aachener Zeitung, Mediahuis Aachen, Dresdener Straße 3 and is part of the series "Aachen 1944 and the road to democracy".

The Aachener Nachrichten was launched with license number 1 on January 24, 1945, followed by the Aachener Volkszeitung on March 6, 1945. The establishment of a pluralistic media system was seen as essential for educating citizens and controlling the state. This evening will not only shed light on the historical events, but also on freedom of the press today.

The guests for the discussion are Lord Mayor Sibylle Keupen, City Councillor Tim Grüttemeier, the Director of the Aachen City Archive René Rohrkamp, the Director of the VHS Aachen Beate Blüggel, the press law expert Georg Wallraf, the journalist and city historian Alexander Barth as well as the Editor-in-Chief of the Aachener Zeitung Thomas Thelen and his deputy Amien Idries. Bernd Büttgens, editor at the Aachener Zeitung, will moderate the event.

Registration is required at www.aachener-zeitung.de/freundeskreis/pressefreiheit-so-fing-es-in-aachen-vor-80-jahren-an/35191672.html. The event is free of charge.

Further events in the series "Aachen 1944 and the road to democracy" are available on the Internet at www.aachen.de/aachen1944.