“Be Bold Enough to Use Simple Words”
#ZEWPodcastZEW Podcast with Former ZEW President Wolfgang Franz
A standard reference in labour market economics, 16 years as the president of ZEW, 15 years on the German Council of Economic Experts, and four years as its chairman. In addition, countless papers, contributions to debates, and awards. Professor Wolfgang Franz has achieved everything an economist can. Despite being in retirement, he keenly follows ongoing discussions. This month, he celebrates his 80th birthday. In the latest ZEW podcast episode, host Bastian Thüne talks with Wolfgang Franz about how he came to ZEW, reflections on his time there, and how to skilfully avoid being in the crosshairs during Sunday evening talk shows.
Podcast in german language
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When asked what was most important to him during his career, Wolfgang Franz highlights the significance of engaging with young minds, which helps to “protect against intolerance.” While one may not endorse every viewpoint, “it’s always worth listening and thinking about it.” He is also very impressed by the enthusiasm at ZEW. He takes “certain pride” in securing a third-party funding project worth around ten million euros and of setting up the former ICT group, from which the “Digital Economy” Unit has emerged.
Dealing with opposing views
As a labour market researcher who was simultaneously ZEW president and member of the Council of Economic Experts, he faced public opposition during the so-called “Hartz reforms” (Agenda 2010). His proposal to put long-term recipients of unemployment benefits (so-called Hartz 4) under obligation to work landed him on the front page of the BILD newspaper on his 66th birthday in 2010, along with an invitation to appear on the talk show “Sabine Christiansen”, Anne Will’s predecessor. In the show, he was confronted with the “Hartz family”, who were then a regular feature on television, and whose misery was portrayed in such a way that “viewers were almost inevitably moved to tears.”
Instead of responding with understanding, since “the viewer wouldn’t believe it”, he defended his position, as he had learnt in a TV training, and replied: “I’ve been doing research in this field for 20 years to improve the well-being of such families. And that’s exactly what I want to do.” His eloquence even left Mrs Christiansen impressed after the show.
Mannheim by chance
Wolfgang Franz’s journey to Mannheim was more by chance than strategic planning. His presence in Mannheim as a young man was a result of his father’s business friend living there, who in turn had an aunt offering him a room. As he puts it, “If the business friend had been in Karlsruhe or Munich, I would have ended up there.”
