The Botswana Worlds are right ahead of us, when next year's Manila Worlds already show up at the horizon – the chef adjudicators of the World Universities Debating Championships (WUDC or Worlds) 2012, Sam Block and Lucinda David, have assigned their DCAs: Cormac Early, Tim Mooney, Masako Suzuki and Art Ward. Cormac Early is a member of the Harvard Speech and Parliamentary Debate Society and spoke in finals at numerous debate tournaments in the USA and Great Britain such as the Oxford IV. Among other competitions, Cormac was runner-up to Worlds in Koç, Turkey, this year and in Cork, Ireland, in ...

Michael Saliba won the Freshers' Cup 2010 of the Oxford Union. In late November, the former president of Debattierclub Stuttgart (DCS) competed with other freshmen at the famous debating union. The Ph.D. candidate from Stuttgart won on the motion "This house would rig elections to keep extremist parties out of parliament if it could get away with it" from opening government. The Oxford Union stages this Freshers' Cup annually for students of all kinds who start or continue debating at Oxford. About 60 freshmen collected points  in five debates over the first trimester. The eight best speakers break to the final held ...

This article is not yet available in English. Please read the German version on how Jennifer Holm from Heidelberg Debating Club talks on German broadcast about public debts and other current issues. ...

This is a bit on stories and rumours behind the BaWü 2010, for instance how a team from Berlin called and said how they're stuck in a traffic jam near Frankfurt - unfortunately, this team hadn't registered before! Read more on this and other stories in the German version of this article! ...

“How far have you travelled?“is the starting sentence into any kind of conversation this weekend. It is the kick-off into the new season of ZEIT DEBATTEN series at Greifswald. Flirts, smalltalk - they all start with the "How long did it take you to get here" question. Indeed, the Hanseatic town by the Bodden, a bay at the Baltic Sea, is located in quite a remote area. However, about 65 debaters found their ways to Greifswald. Many of them split their journey - it took them a two-day's travel via Berlin or Hamburg to get to Meck-Pomm. To read more on ...

Since late September, Hannes Budelmann does not hold any honorary office – for the first time in years. For the past three years, he had been member of the executive board of Deutsche Debattiergesellschaft (DDG), the German alumni association for debaters. Hannes talked to Achte Minute about his work for debating, his personal future, and perspectives of the alumni association. Achte Minute: Hannes, you had been on the DDG executive board for the past three years, 2009/2010 as their president – what did you like most? Hannes Budelmann: Let me think about that… Actually, it was organizing that was the most fun: ...

Steffy Roos du Maine, ESL finalist at this years euros not only impresses with intelligent analysis and rhetoric skills but also scores in other fields: As a fan of "fashion, beauty, feestjes, cocktails, pink en mijn vriendinnen" the 23 year old candidates under the slogan "Steffy for World Peace" for the title of "Miss Universe". You may find more about "Missy Steffy" on her web page, her facebook profile and ready the article "Beauty in Nacht van der Vrede" on Metroniews (in Dutch). glx / law

Florian Neuhann, finalist of the first ZEIT DEBATTEN tournament, wrote a book: “Theodula and I“ (“Theodula & ich”). There, he tells about his grandaunt Agnes who as a young woman joined a missionary congregation and assumed the name Theodula. She lived and worked for almost sixty years in South Africa as a missionary. Florian, who was president of Debattierclub München in 2003/2004, visited his aunt in 2007 in South Africa to pen her biography. The nun had led a fascinating live: As a young woman, she had been committed in a resistance group to fight National Socialism, as professor she taught ...

Tim Richter, former president of VDCH (Association of Debating Societies at Universities), had been member of the executive board of the umbrella organization for three years. Of all meetings, it was this year’s general assembly that Tim could not attend – he had to undergo an ad hoc surgery. But of course, Tim kept himself informed while in his sickbed. Monday morning, Achte Minute interviewed him in his hometown Bonn where the ex-president talked about the development of the association, his farewell from VDCH and his debating future. ...

The general assembly of VDCH (the Association of Debating Societies at Universities) elected a new president and his deputies: Jan Lüken, Benedikt Nufer, Marcus Ewald and Esther Reinert constitute the new VDCH executive board. Achte Minute presents a first introduction: ...

We are sorry, this article is not or not yet available in English. Please check back later.

Sorry, this article is not or not yet available in English. Please check back later.

Even old stagers among those debating in the German speaking scene do very often not know what the EUDC Council really is. First things first: EUDC stands for European Universities Debating Championships a.k.a. Euros. But what is it that hides behind the “Council”? The one who knows about it in detail is Jens Fischer from Berlin Debating Union. He has been re-elected president of EUDC Council at this year’s Euros in Amsterdam. When Achte Minute asked him about his being voted, he laughed – his old and new office comes with a great workload rather than fame. [caption id="attachment_4895" align="alignright" width="180" caption="Jens ...

In the interview series “EUDC talk” we met David Lamouroux and Gabor Stefan of Debattierclub Georgia Augusta Göttingen. They told us about the EUDC break, teamplay and debating addiction. Achte Minute: Hello David, hello Gabor! You've broken to ESL quarter finals. Congratulations for that, first of all. Gabor: Thank you! I was totally surprised that it worked out so well. Achte Minute: Gabor, this was your first EUDC participation. You're already well known on the German circuit. What was it that surprised you the most on the international circuit? Gabor: I've already been to the Durham Open three weeks ago and last weekend ...

In the interview series “EUDC talk” we met EUDC's convenor Anne Valkering. She told us about preperations for and the execution of the tournament and her own plans for the time after the EUDC. ...

In the interview series “EUDC talk” we met Daniel Schut of Amsterdam's famous debating society Bonaparte. He told us of his speaker job at Amsterdam EUDC and his loss to a German team four years ago. ...

In the interview series  “EUDC talk” we met Lukas Haffert of the Swiss DebatingClub St. Gallen who told us about his first EUDC debate where he spoke twice. ...

Achte Minute invites you to get to know some participants of the European Universities Debating Championship 2010. Therefore, during the EUDC-days we'll have the series of interviews "EUDC talk". Here we get in contact with debaters from all over Europe - whether participating as adjudicators, speakers or organisers. We start with interviewing Marcus Ewald and Thore Wojke of German Debattierclub Johannes Gutenberg Mainz (DCJG), who for the first time debate at EUDC - and count on irish luck. Achte Minute: Marcus, you have been German Champion in 2008 - will you be European Champion (ESL) in 2010? Marcus: Well, probably not. The ...

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Florian Umscheid vom Debattierclub Wortgefechte Potsdam wurde bei der Deutschen Debattiermeisterschaft (DDM) 2010 von der Deutschen Debattiergesellschaft (DDG), dem Verein der Alumni und Förderer des Debattierens, als bester Nachwuchsredner ausgezeichnet. Gemeinsam mit seinem Teampartner Moritz Kirchner breakte Florian im Team "Rote Kaserne" souverän ins Viertelfinale der DDM. Dort mussten sich die beiden ihren Gegnern aus Berlin und München geschlagen geben. Die Achte Minute hat sich mit Florian über den Nachwuchspreis, seine debattantischen Erfahrungen, Erfolge und Pläne unterhalten. [caption id="attachment_3993" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Flo in Aktion während einer DDM-Vorrunde. (Foto: Florian Zeidler, Uni Münster)"][/caption] Achte Minute: ...

Als "Archäologin mit Hang zur Utopie" wurde Doris Gutsmiedl-Schümann, DDG-Mitglied, Alumna des Debattierclub München und immer wieder gern gesehener Gast des Debattierclub Bonn, in der Freitagsausgabe der Süddeutschen Zeitung in einem Vierspalter vorgestellt. Anlass war die Vorstellung ihrer Dissertationsschrift "Das frühmittelalterliche Gräberfeld Aschheim-Bajuwarenring" in Aschheim bei München, die jetzt auch im Verlagsdruck erschienen ist. Auf Seite 50 der SZ vom 18. Juni 2010 (der Artikel steht leider nicht online zu Verfügung) heißt es: "Wenn Doris Gutsmiedl-Schümann über die Frau aus Grab 135 spricht, dann klingt es, als würde sie über eine alte Bekannte ...

Philipp Stiel und Peter Croonenbroeck von der Streitkultur Tübingen sind die neuen Deutschen Debattiermeister. Mit ihrem Sieg krönten sie die Deutsche Debattiermeisterschaft 2010, die der Verband der Debattierclubs an Hochschulen am ersten Juniwochenende veranstaltete. Im Finale setzten sich die beiden durch zum Thema "Dieses Haus glaubt, dass militärische Mittel zur Durchsetzung wirtschaftlicher Interessen gerechtfertigt sind". Die Achte Minute hat sich mit den Deutschen Meistern über ihre Eindrücke und Argumente unterhalten - lest hier, was Philipp und Peter über Politik, Horst Köhler und die Kunst der Sprache zu sagen haben. ...

In der Reihe "DDM im Gespräch" ist diesmal der "Debattierdinosaurier" Daniel Sommer (DC Heidelberg) im Gespräch mit der Achten Minute über seinen Heldenstatus in Tübingen und die BaWü 2010. ...

In der Reihe "DDM im Gespräch" ist diesmal Chefjuror Daniel Grotzky (DC München / DC St. Gallen) im Gespräch mit der Achten Minute über seine Clubmitgliedschaften und die Entwicklung unserer Debattierszene. ...

In der Reihe "DDM im Gespräch" ist diesmal die noch amtierende Deutsche Meisterin Miriam Hauft (DC Magdeburg) im Gespräch mit der Achten Minute über die Wehmut, den Titel weiterzugeben und ihre Hoffnungen, an wen. ...

Die Achte Minute lädt Euch ein, Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer der Deutschen Debattiermeisterschaft (DDM) 2010 kennenzulernen. Dafür gibt es während der DDM-Tage die Reihe "DDM im Gespräch". Hier kommen wir mit Menschen ins Gespräch, die bei der DDM dabei sind - sei es um zu helfen, zu reden oder zu jurieren. Den Anfang macht Verena Rosa Gräf vom Debattierclub Kikero Bozen, die zum ersten Mal bei einer DDM ist - und mit einer Internetbekanntschaft antritt. Achte Minute: Hey Verena, das ist Deine erste DDM - aufgeregt? Verena: Ja, total! Das ist viel größer ...

Daniel Grotzky, Marcel Giersdorf und Sebastian Berg, die Chefjuroren der Deutschen Debattiermeisterschaft (DDM) 2010 verraten im Videointerview, wie sie zum Debattieren kamen, was für sie gutes Reden und Jurieren ausmacht und vieles mehr. Die Interviews führten Knut Knudsen und Julian Schneider vom Debattierclub Münster. Hier lernt Ihr die DDM-Chefjuroren kennen! Seht selbst! ...

Der ehemaliger VDCH-Vizepräsident Sebastian Hirsch, Debattierer der Jacobs University Bremen Debating Society, ist einer der Gesprächspartner in der ZDF-Dokumentation "Digital Natives. Die Eingeborenen des World Wide Web". Die Sendung wurde erstmals am Donnerstag, 20. Mai, um 0.50 Uhr im ZDF ausgestrahlt und ist noch für einige Tage in der ZDF-Mediathek online abrufbar. Viel Spaß!

Für Aufmerksamkeit sorgte Hanna Kaspar bei der Tübinger ZEIT DEBATTE - in Abwesenheit! Zum einen, weil sie seit dem 16. Mai gar nicht mehr "Kaspar" heißt und eine Menge Gratulations-SMS von Tübingen nach Mainz gesendet wurden: Die Deutsche Meisterin 2003 und der Westdeutsche Meister 2006 Patrick Proner, die gemeinsam den Debattierclub Johannes Gutenberg (DCJG) gegründet haben, haben geheiratet. Herzlichen Glückwunsch Euch beiden! Zum anderen, weil ein findiger Debattant Hanna in der aktuellen "ZEIT Campus" entdeckte - als eine von "100 Studenten von denen wir noch hören werden". (ZEIT Campus Nr. 3/2010, S. 23) -Als "Neue Noelle-Neumann" wird sie uns da vorgestellt. Hanna promoviert ...

Was passiert, wenn Computer debattieren, darauf weist uns Oliver Hörtensteiner vom Debattierclub München hin ...