The 200th anniversary makes headlines

Whether broadcast, newspaper, websites or social media: the GDNÄ’s anniversary meeting is arousing the interest of journalists in the Leipzig region and far beyond. On this page we inform you about current contributions and provide background information.

In autumn 2023

Yearbook 2022 of the Leopoldina

In a 35-page article, Dr Michael Kaasch, scientific editor of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, reports in detail on the 200th anniversary of the GDNÄ and the Leopoldina lecture by Markus Gross “Computer Science for Hollywood Pictures”. The article contains a great deal of detailed information on the joint history of the GDNÄ and the Leopoldina. Concise quotations and extensive references round off the carefully prepared article.

>> Special print “The Society of German Natural Scientists and Physicians and the Leopoldina” (PDF, 1,24 MB)
>> Yearbook 2022 of the Leopoldina

In March 2023

„Leipziger Blätter“

The cultural magazine “Leipziger Blätter” reports in a three-page article („Zurück zu den Wurzeln“) on the 2022 Festversammlung, the history of the Society and its plans for the future. The special relationship of the GDNÄ to its founding city is a recurring theme.. The “Leipziger Blätter” are published by Passage-Verlag, which also published the commemorative publication for the 200th anniversary.

>> Article „Zurück zu den Wurzeln“ (PDF, 249 KB, German only)
>> Current issue of the cultural magazine “Leipziger Blätter”, published twice a year

In November 2022

„Naturwissenschaftliche Rundschau“

In two detailed articles, the organ journal of the GDNÄ, the Naturwissenschaftliche Rundschau, reports on the anniversary conference in Leipzig. Dr Klaus Rehfeld, editor and publisher of the journal until 2021, describes his impressions of the glittering opening with ceremonial lectures and discussion rounds. Professor Michael Dröscher, treasurer and secretary general of the GDNÄ, reviews the four-day assembly with all the names, presentations and facets.

>> Professor Michael Dröscher: Ein glanzvolles Fest der Wissenschaften (German only, PDF, 1,79 MB)
>> Dr. Klaus Rehfeld: Wissenschaft im Bild (German only, PDF, 3,73 MB)

In October 2022

Culture blog “Leipzig-Lese

Against the background of a panel discussion on the history of the GDNÄ, this interview is about Schelling’s and Hegel’s obsession with questions of chemistry. Saxon science journalist Dr Konrad Lindner and science historian and GDNÄ representative Professor Dietrich von Engelhardt exchange views on this.

In September 2022

Physics portal “pro-physik.de”

The leading German-language specialist portal for all areas of physics reports in detail on the anniversary celebration and the history of the GDNÄ.

>> GDNÄ: Offener Austausch für die Wissenschaft (German only)

Website of acatech – German Academy of Science and Engineering

Since 1822, the Society of German Natural Scientists and Physicians (GDNÄ) has brought together scientists, female scientists and those interested in science for interdisciplinary exchange. At the festive meeting marking the 200th anniversary of the society from September 8 to 11 in Leipzig, the focus was on various issues for the future. Acatech experts were also invited and discussed with the participants the possibilities of shaping technology, new forms of participation and the digital transformation in healthcare. (…more)

© acatech

Armin Grunwald, Karena Kalmbach and MDW (from left to right) at the acatech Science & Technology Café “What kind of world do we want to live in?”

Science blog of the Viennese “Standard”

In a vividly illustrated blog post peppered with many interesting details “Research in dialogue: Two centuries of meetings”, Thomas Hofmann highlights highlights of the GDNÄ meetings in Austria. Austria was a frequently visited conference venue, with Vienna in first place (1832, 1856, 1894, 1913, 1966), followed by Innsbruck (1869, 1924, 1978), Graz (1843, 1875) and Salzburg (1881, 1909). For example, Thomas Hofmann writes about the great Vienna Congress in 1913:

“The fourth congress in Vienna attracted more than 5,000 congress participants and congress attendees to the capital in September 1913. The city was all about the sciences. ‘One encounters them, now everywhere in the city, the German natural scientists and physicians, and one is pleased to meet them,’ wrote the feature writer Paul Zifferer in the Neue Freie Presse.”

Thomas Hofmann is head of the library, publishing house and archive of the Austrian Austrian Geological Survey.

© Wissenschaftsblog des Wiener „Standard“

Report about the student programme on MDR

In its news programme “Sachsenspiegel”, Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR), will broadcast a report on the GDNÄ students’ program on 8 September from 19:00. It shows how students at Leipzig’s Goethe Grammar School are preparing for their performance at the opening of the 200th anniversary celebrations. The camera crew also accompanies them to their presentation entitled “We only have one world” in the Congress Hall at Leipzig Zoo. The feature will be available in the media library for a week and also later on request.

© MDR

© GDNÄ

6 September 2022: Students on the day before the presentation “We only have one world” at the Kongresshalle am Zoo Leipzig.

Pictures and texts on Instagram

The GDNÄ’s own Instagram channel @gdnae.society provides current impressions of the conference events in Leipzig. The contributions come from a young team from Stuttgart Media University: Gloria Gamarnik, Lena Dagenbach and Maren Krämer, three students from the Crossmedia Editing/Public Relations course. The project is led by Dr. Alexander Mäder, science journalist and professor at the Media University. The focus of the reporting is the GDNÄ’s student program.

Assembly hashtag: #gdnae200

In August 2022

Kulturblog “Leipzig-Lese” on Lorenz Oken and the founding of the GDNÄ

In a detailed article, Saxon science journalist Dr Konrad Lindner deals with the founding history of the GDNÄ and its further development. The text, which appeared on the Leipzig-Lese portal, takes us through the contributions of Schelling, Oken, Oerstedt and Carus to Einstein and Heisenberg and to today’s Leipzig philosophers who have expressed their views on idealist-romantic natural philosophy and German idealism.

© Leipzig-Lese

Screenshot “Lorenz Oken rief Naturforscher und Ärzte für 1822 nach Leipzig”