In addition to the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences (TRAWOS Institute, headed by Prof. Dr. Raj Kollmorgen), the Universtity Leipzig (headed by Dr. Lars Vogel und Prof. Dr. Astid Lorenz) and the Friedrich-Schiller-University (headed by Prof. Dr. Marion Reiser) are involved in the project.
The presence of large social groups - such as East Germans - in leadership positions below their share of the population indicates that they have fewer opportunities to access elite positions. This personal underrepresentation is a central political challenge because it highlights and makes visible unequal opportunities for political and social participation as if under a magnifying glass.
The goal of the overall project is to:
TRAWOS will focus on the holders of typical pinhole positions in order to record the processes that enable or prevent their further advancement. In addition to interviews with holders of elite positions and those who can (still) be classified as sub-elite, expert interviews will be conducted with personnel managers, among others, in order to be able to include the "opposite side" in the analysis. The primary surveys will be supplemented by an analysis of secondary material in the form of (auto-)biographical, (semi)fictional and scientific writings that deal with East-West differences in terms of mentalities, values and capital resources.
After three years of intensive research, the collaborative project Elitenmonitor came to an end in July 2025. The project, funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany, examined the underrepresentation of East Germans in key leadership positions and generated important insights into its historical development, underlying mechanisms, and potential policy responses.
The Elitenmonitor project was designed as a collaborative venture involving research teams at Leipzig University, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. The project was structured into several interconnected modules. Module 1 (“Leipzig Elite Database”; led by Dr Lars Vogel and Prof. Dr Astrid Lorenz, Leipzig University) collected publicly available nationwide data on top leadership positions and their office holders. These data were systematically compiled into a database and analysed. Module 2 (Elite Survey; led by Prof. Dr Marion Reiser, Friedrich Schiller University Jena) examined the attitudes, ambitions, and perceptions of elite actors through a comprehensive survey. Particular attention was paid to questions of belonging, barriers to advancement, and personal experiences. Module 3 (Obstacles and Bottlenecks in Elite Career Paths; led by Prof. Dr Raj Kollmorgen, Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences) investigated the processes and specific challenges involved in attaining elite positions. The research drew on qualitative interviews with elite members, sub-elites, and experts in human resources and executive search. These findings were complemented by analyses of (auto)biographical and academic texts addressing East–West differences. Module 4 (Support and Activation Measures; also led by the team at Leipzig University) evaluated and further developed existing and potential policy instruments aimed at improving opportunities for underrepresented groups, with a particular focus on academia, business, and public administration.
The project’s official conclusion was marked by the public conference “Top Leadership Positions in Germany – Open to Diversity?”, held on 15 May 2025 at the Forum of Contemporary History Leipzig. On this occasion, the project’s latest research findings were presented and discussed with experts from politics, business, academia, the military, and the media. In addition, a two-day workshop held on 15 and 16 May at the same venue provided an opportunity for intensive exchange with the wider academic community.
The scientific analysis and dissemination of the project’s findings are already well underway. One notable outcome is the article “From Exclusion to Alienation? Realities and Consequences of the Underrepresentation of East Germans in the Elites Since 1990” by Prof. Dr Raj Kollmorgen and Jan Schaller, published online by the BPB in its journal Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte (Politics and Contemporary History). Further publications from the individual project modules have already been released and can be accessed via the project website.
The entire project consortium is currently working on a comprehensive final publication that will systematically bring together the results of the three-year research project. The publication is scheduled to appear in the coming months and will present the detailed findings of all four project modules while also developing recommendations for policymakers and society.
Scientific dissemination of the project’s findings will continue beyond the project’s completion: At the annual congress of the German Sociological Association (DGS) in Duisburg in September 2025, Dr Lars Vogel of Leipzig University as well as Jan Schaller and Mara Börjesson from the TRAWOS Institute presented selected aspects of the project’s results to a broader academic audience.
The Elitenmonitor project has not only generated important empirical insights into the underrepresentation of various social groups in leadership positions, but has also established methodological foundations for long-term monitoring. The Leipzig Elite Database developed within the project, together with the survey instruments tested and refined over the course of the research, provides a solid basis for future studies on elites and questions of representation.
We would like to thank all those involved in the project—our interview participants, cooperation partners, and, of course, the Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany for funding this important research initiative. The findings of the Elitenmonitor will continue to contribute to public and policy debates on equal opportunities and democratic representation.
The joint project, which will run from 08/2022 - 07/2025, is funded by the Minister of State for East Germany and Equivalent Living Conditions.
Mara Börjesson
