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Foundation and history

The starting point for the foundation of the LEZ was its authentic location – the heritage-protected building, which is the birthplace of Ludwig Erhard, directly next to Fürth’s historic town hall.

The Ludwig-Erhard-Initiativkreis Fürth e.V provided the initial impetus, idea and support for the project. This led to the Ludwig-Erhard-Haus Foundation purchasing his birth house and to the construction of the distinctive new building directly opposite. After the Ludwig-Erhard-Haus Foundation purchased the building in 2013, it was carefully and comprehensively restored and redesigned as an exhibition center, meeting place and memorial location.

It was a long time before the LEZ was able to open its doors to the public however, which happened during a huge civic celebration on June 20, 2018, the 70th anniversary of the German Commercial and Currency Reform of 1948. The task not only involved devising an exhibition concept within a short space of time but also carrying out extensive building plans. Important stages before the opening were the tendering of an architectural competition for the new construction in 2013, the laying of the foundation stone in autumn 2015, the topping out ceremony in fall 2016, and finally the ceremonial inauguration by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bavarian Minister of the Interior Markus Söder in May 2018.

The 18-million-euro project was realized by the German federal states, the free state of Bavaria, the city of Fürth and the Ludwig-Erhard-Haus foundation, under which patronage the LEZ stands.

Thomas Jung, Christian Schmidt, Evi Kurz, Florian Pronold und Joachim Herrmann bei der Grundsteinlegung des Ludwig Erhard Zentrums.
Laying the foundation stone, February 29, 2016, left to right: Fürth’s mayor Thomas Jung, MdB and former German Christian Schmidt, President of the Ludwig-Erhard-Haus Foundation Evi Kurz, MdB and parliamentary secretary of state with German Minister for Building with Responsibility for Construction and Urban Development Florian Pronold, Bavaria’s Ministry of the Interior Joachim Herrmann
Rainer Müller hält eine Rede beim Richtfest des Ludwig Erhard Zentrums.
Topping out ceremony, November 25, 2016: Rainer Müller from the company GS Schenk making a speech at the topping out ceremony.
Joachim Herrmann, Frank Walter Steinmeier, Elke Büdenbender, Evi Kurz, Markus Söder, Franz Josef Pschierer und Thomas Jung im Lensupermarkt bei der Einweihung des Ludwig Erhard Zentrums.
Inauguration of the LEZ by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, May 18, 2018, left to right in the LEZ Learning Supermarket: Joachim Herrmann, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Elke Büdenbender, Evi Kurz, Markus Söder, Franz Josef Pschierer, Thomas Jung, Heike Jung
Gruppenbild mit Günther Jauch, Evi Kurz und Daniel Koerfer bei der Eröffnung des Ludwig Erhard Zentrums.
Opening of the LEZ, June 20, 2018, left to right: star guest Günther Jauch with Evi Kurz, Prof. Daniel Koerfer, Academic Curator of the Permanent Exhibition, Dr. Michael Henker, Deputy President of the Academic Council, Dr. Ingeborg Berggreen-Merkel, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Ludwig-Erhard-Haus foundation