HEAD UP

- life motto of the Czech General Ždímal

The Surgite Caput project, supported by the FF Endowment Fund, aims to strengthen historical memory, democratic values, and civic engagement—with an emphasis on dialogue with the younger generation. 

The project is based on the conviction that a deeper knowledge of the past is the key to a better understanding of the present - and an important tool for defending democratic values. The current uncertain geopolitical situation is turning attention back to periods that bear many parallels with today. A detailed historical examination of the fate of forgotten heroes not only provides new insights but also offers important warnings and inspiration for today. It shows what problems our ancestors faced and what strategies proved effective.

Project Surgite Caput consists of three parts:

• Surgite Caput Stipendium

• Pieta to the Czechoslovak victims of Plötzensee

• Surgite Caput Museum

The first part, Surgite Caput Stipendium, focuses on supporting research to gain a better understanding of the neglected parts of the Czechoslovak history. To achieve this, the FF Endowment Fund is working with research and educational institutions on both the Czech and German sides.
The second part, Pieta to the Czechoslovak victims of Plötzensee, consists of a yearly Pieta act to commemorate the Nazi victims of Plötzensee. FF Endowment Fund is working to support this act.
The third part, Sugite Caput Museum, is aimed at the general public. The online museum makes the research done into the lives of the generals executed in Plötzensee easily accessible

The project has also received the support of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Berlin and Ambassador Jiří Čistecký, who have established cooperation with the FF Endowment Fund to develop a broader initiative in the field of education and historical research.