Harnack House, Berlin-Dahlem. Photo: Fridolin freudenfett (Peter Kuley), via Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 3.0 .
On Wednesday evening, seminar participants are invited to leave the lecture hall and explore one of Berlin’s most remarkable scientific landscapes: the historic research campus in Dahlem.
Established from 1912 for the Kaiser Wilhelm Society—the predecessor of today’s Max Planck Society—the Dahlem campus became one of the leading centres of twentieth-century research. Its institutes and meeting places were associated with scientists who fundamentally changed our understanding of nature, including Albert Einstein and Werner Heisenberg, two central figures in the development of quantum theory, as well as Lise Meitner, Otto Hahn and Fritz Straßmann, whose work led to the discovery and interpretation of nuclear fission.
During a guided walk through the campus—often referred to as the “German Oxford”—we will follow the traces of these scientists and learn about the people, institutions and historical circumstances behind some of the decisive developments in modern physics. The tour will also show how scientific research, international exchange and twentieth-century history became closely intertwined at this unique location.
Our walk will begin at the historic Harnack House, which was established in 1929 as a guest house and meeting place for scientists from the Dahlem institutes and from around the world. Two professional guides will lead us in parallel English-language groups.
Join us for an evening walk through the history of modern science—and for an opportunity to continue the discussions of the seminar in a particularly inspiring scientific setting.
We will leave together from the seminar venue at PTB Berlin-Charlottenburg at 16:00 and travel to Dahlem as a group. The guided tour will begin at 17:00 at Harnack House.