[1][2] Established in 1925 as the political legacy of Friedrich Ebert, Germany's first president, it is the largest and oldest of the German party-associated foundations.

The SPD chairman at the time, Konrad Ludwig [de], was given the responsibility of building this foundation, which he did a few days after Ebert's death in 1925.

In this effort, it has supported democracy and freedom movements, for instance in the African National Congress (ANC), and played an important role in overcoming dictatorial regimes in Greece, Spain, and Portugal.

As a case in point, the Socialist Party of Portugal was formed at an FES school in Bad Münstereifel, Germany.

[3] The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Academic Foundation (FES) is one of thirteen state-funded organizations for the promotion of young talents (Begabtenförderwerke) in Germany.

The historical research center of the foundation also contains the Archive of Social Democracy and its libraries in Bonn and at the Karl Marx House in Trier.