Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities

Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities. The Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften is one of the oldest and most prestigious learned societies in Germany. Founded in the 18th century, it serves as a central hub for long-term basic research across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The academy operates numerous research projects and commissions, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and contributing significantly to the national and international scientific landscape.

History

The academy was established in 1759 in Munich by Maximilian III Joseph, Elector of Bavaria, modeling it on influential predecessors like the Royal Society and the French Academy of Sciences. Its early work focused on history, statistics, and the emerging natural sciences, with notable early members including the astronomer Johann Georg von Soldner. Throughout the 19th century, under the patronage of the Wittelsbach dynasty, it expanded its purview, undertaking monumental projects such as the comprehensive Bavarian Dictionary. The institution weathered the political upheavals of the 20th century, including the Nazi era and World War II, and was re-established in the postwar period to become a key member of the Union of German Academies of Sciences and Humanities.

Organization and structure

The academy is organized into two main classes: the Philosophical-Historical Class and the Mathematics-Sciences Class, each with a limited number of regular members elected for life. Governance is led by a president, currently Thomas O. Höllmann, and a presidium, with administrative support from a central office. It is a corporation under public law of the Free State of Bavaria, receiving its primary funding from the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts. The academy also maintains several research centers and permanent committees, such as the Commission for Archaeology of Non-European Cultures, and collaborates closely with institutions like the University of Munich and the Max Planck Society.

Research and activities

Its core mission centers on long-term fundamental research projects, often spanning decades, which are conducted by interdisciplinary commissions. Major ongoing endeavors include the editing of critical editions of works by Friedrich Nietzsche and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, the Catalog of German-Language Newspapers, and the Bavarian Academy Corpus Vasorum Antiquorum. In the sciences, significant projects involve climate research through the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica and studies in geodesy and bioinformatics. The academy also hosts regular public lectures, symposia like the Elisabeth of Bohemia Colloquium, and awards prestigious prizes to support emerging scholars.

Notable members and awards

Throughout its history, the academy has counted among its members a plethora of illustrious intellectuals, including physicists like Werner Heisenberg and Albert Einstein, philosophers such as Max Scheler, and historians like Leopold von Ranke. Renowned chemists Justus von Liebig and Adolf von Baeyer, as well as the mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss, were also elected members. The academy bestows several notable awards, including the Maximilian Order for Science and Art, the Bavarian Academy Prize, and the Arnold Sommerfeld Prize, honoring outstanding contributions across its disciplinary spectrum.

Publications and resources

The academy maintains an extensive publication program, issuing series such as the *Abhandlungen* and *Sitzungsberichte*, as well as critical editions and dictionaries resulting from its long-term projects. It provides open access to numerous digital resources, including the Bavarian Language Atlas and the Regesta Imperii database. The historic library, located in the Munich Residenz, houses a significant collection of manuscripts and rare books, while the archive preserves the records of the academy's own history and the papers of notable members like the poet Karl von Holtei.

Category:Scientific organizations based in Germany Category:Academies of sciences Category:Organizations established in 1759 Category:Bavarian culture