Hildesheim Tenth Graders Win HISTORY-AWARD 2026 with Film about Humanity

Students from the Himmelsthür Secondary School in Hildesheim have won the HISTORY-AWARD 2026. Their film "Our Decision: To Be Human" was awarded, telling the story of humanity as a conscious act towards solidarity, respect, and compassion. In the competition organized by The HISTORY Channel, the team prevailed against 33 other projects from eight German and two Austrian federal states.

The award ceremony took place as part of the DOK.fest Munich at the University of Television and Film (HFF). The award was announced for the 14th time, with the motto "Be a Human!". The graduating class of year 10 from Hildesheim traveled to Munich to accept the award there.

Contrasts Instead of Slogans: Why the Winning Film Convinced

The awarded entry was created with 24 participants at the Himmelsthür Secondary School. In the jury's statement, it was emphasized that the film links personal experiences with the competition theme and develops its message through clear contrasts in imagery and action. Juror Helmut Markwort emphasized that the film contrasts exclusion and cohesion and ends with the image of young people standing hand in hand. Moderator Nina Eichinger described the entry at the award ceremony as an example of "how we can all make a difference in small ways".

The fact that the jury particularly highlighted this dramaturgy fits the core of the competition: Not abstract appeals, but concrete everyday situations are meant to show how "humanity" becomes visible in one's own environment—and where it comes into conflict with peer pressure, prejudice, or looking away. The film from Hildesheim thus positions being human as a decision that must be proven in behavior, language, and solidarity, not just as a mere declaration of attitude.

Reference to Bundestag Speech: "Be a Human!" as a Task for Schools

The competition theme was linked to the message "Be a Human!" that Marcel Reif formulated in the German Bundestag on January 31, 2024. The HISTORY-AWARD translates this sentence into a task for students: In their own film contributions, they were to show what humanity means to them in everyday life, in community, and with regard to history and the future. In this way, a prominent quote becomes a media-practical educational format in which young teams must research, weigh perspectives, and develop their own narrative approach.

34 Submissions, 313 Participants: Broad Participation in the Competition

For the HISTORY-AWARD 2026, a total of 34 film projects were submitted by 313 students. The HISTORY Channel described the response as particularly high. The numbers are also remarkable because the competition addresses different types of schools and age groups, thus allowing a wide thematic range—from historical approaches to contemporary stories about cohesion and civil courage.

Purpose and Support of the HISTORY-AWARD

The HISTORY-AWARD has been announced since 2005 under changing mottos. The aim is to recognize active and creative engagement with historical and social topics in the form of video contributions. The format is supported, among others, by GigaTV (Vodafone), DOK.education, web and school, and the Bavarian Youth Ring; it is also recommended by the Association of History Teachers of Germany e. V. The first three places were endowed with prize money donated by Vodafone.

This Is How Decisions Are Made: Expert Jury and Public Voting

The rankings were determined by a combination of jury evaluation and online voting. This procedure combines professional criteria—such as dramaturgy, narrative clarity, and thematic sharpness—with public participation. It increases the visibility of the projects but also requires the teams to present their work in an understandable and accessible way, as it reaches not only a professional audience but also a broad online public.

• 1st place: Himmelsthür Secondary School (Hildesheim) – "Our Decision: To Be Human"
• 2nd place: Wilhelm-Leuschner-Schule Niestetal – "Prisoner 1407 Stolperstein"
• 3rd place: Kettenbrücke Secondary School Innsbruck – "WE"

According to the organizer, the jury consisted, among others, of:

• Nina Eichinger
• Maya Reichert
• Niko Lamprecht
• Prof. Dr. Johannes Moser
• Florian Kraus
• Helmut Markwort
• Dr. Sascha Priester

The patronage was taken over by Melina Hoischen ("Miss History") and Marcel Reif, who joined via video message due to scheduling reasons. Hearst-Networks-Germany Managing Director Kathrin Palesch praised the range of submissions and the personal commitment of the participants at the award ceremony.

With the success of the Himmelsthür Secondary School, the HISTORY-AWARD 2026 once again shows how a school media competition can translate key social questions into concrete stories—and how powerful such contributions can be when they do not stop at buzzwords but make decisions and consequences visible.