The young circle of friends goes by the entrepreneur and passionate art collector Dr. Hans-Hermann Stober, called Männe Stober, returned. After Männe Stober died far too early in 1997 at the age of 62, the club decided to name the club's junior circle in memory of Männe Stober's outstanding commitment. From then on, the young FRIENDS of the Nationalgalerie were called “Stoberkreis”. The Stoberkreis was a real pioneer back then and the first young section of a museum support association in Germany.
In 1977, Männe Stober was one of the seven founding members of the Friends of the National Gallery. He was passionately committed to the youth in the club and was strongly committed to young artistic positions. “Fighting for the young wild ones, the young art in general” – this is what Jan Rave noted about the namesake of the Stoberkreis in the club’s chronicle.
In 2024 we decided to drop the name “Stoberkreis”. The Stoberkreis is now called young FRIENDS of the Nationalgalerie. On the one hand, we have created a self-explanatory name. We have often used this name when “Stoberkreis” has led to questioning looks. On the other hand, we also conceptually express the inseparable connection with our FRIENDS.
This is how we continue what began in 1997. Männe Stober wrote our unchanged main concern into our records with timeless validity when he stated: “I know for a fact that I would have been enthusiastic [about art] even as a teenager if I had met the right people.”
Young FRIENDS of the Nationalgalerie / Exhibition view “Orthodox. Art between politics and society” / Neue Nationalgalerie, 2024 / Nationalgalerie - Berlin State Museums / Photo © Romana Eder-Grabher
