28 March 2019
100 years of Universität Hamburg: a turning point in Hamburg’s historyThe Senate recognizes the University’s importance for the city with a celebration in City Hall.
Photo: Sebastian Engels
On 28th March 2019, from 8 pm, the ceremonial hall of Hamburg’s City Hall saw the celebration of Universität Hamburg’s centenary, with a focus on the history of its founding. The evening opened with a welcome speech from the host, Katharina Fegebank, second mayor and senator for the Hamburg Ministry of Science, Research and Equal Opportunity. Barbara Duden, vice-president of the Hamburg parliament then recalled the historical resolution made in 1919, portrayed as a staged reading by actors under the direction of theater producer and light artist Michael Batz. In addition to a welcome from Universität Hamburg president, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Dieter Lenzen, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Albrecht Wagner, chair of the University Council, also addressed the gathering.
“It was a magnificent hour, as the then still nascent parliament made a bold decision” mused Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Dieter Lenzen, “100 years ago, the door was opened to the founding of a university with a full range of faculties, and to give it a duty: To Research, To Teach, To Educate and Form.”
The ceremonial address was given by philosopher and graduate of Universität Hamburg, Prof. Dr. Peter Sloterdijk, who spoke about the importance of the role universities play in society, and therefore the significance of Universität Hamburg for the city of Hamburg as a whole.
To mark the celebration, Wolfgang Schmidt, state-secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance and also a graduate of the University, will present a ceremonial stamp, showing the venerable Main Building of the University from a modern perspective.
The Senate reception was held in the ceremonial hall of City Hall, Rathausmarkt 1, 20095, Hamburg.
