University of Heidelberg

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The University of Heidelberg was established in the town of Heidelberg in the Rhineland in 1386.

The university's official title is Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg (Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg) or its Latin equivalent: Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis.

It is a member of the Coimbra Group and the LERU.

Table of contents

1 History 2 Left-wing Student Protests 3 Enrolment 4 Alumni 4.1 Thinkers associated with the university 4.2 Scientists 4.3 Literates 5 External link

History

It was founded at the behest of the Count Palatinate and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Ruprecht I, in order to provide faculties for the study of philosophy, theology, jurisprudence, and medicine. The Great Schism in 1378, which split European Christendom into two hostile groups, was initiated by the election of two popes after the death of Pope Gregory XI in the same year. One successor was in Avignon (elected by the French) and the other in Rome (elected by the Italian cardinals). The German secular and spiritual leaders voiced their support for the successor in Rome, which had far reaching consequences for the German students and teachers in Paris: they lost their stipends and had to leave. Palatine Elector Ruprecht I recognized the opportunity and initiated talks with the Curia, which ultimately lead to the creation of the Papal Bull of Foundation which can be considered the establishment of the University of Heidelberg. On October 18, 1386 a ceremonial fair commemorated the opening of the doors of the university. As a motto for the seal, Marsilius von Inghen, the first Rector of the university chose "Semper apertus" - the book of learning is always open. At this point in time the city of Heidelberg could not have had more than 3500 inhabitants and in the first year of existence the university had almost 600 enrolled. On October 19, 1386 the first lecture was held.

Left-wing Student Protests

During the 1960s and 70s, the university developed slowly but ultimately to one of the core cells for the political rumors among students (see student protests), eventually even creating connections to the Red Army Faction.

In 1975, a massive police force arrested the entire student parliament "AStA". Shortly thereafter, the "Collegium Academicum", a progressive college in immediate vicinity to the universities main grounds was stormed by over 700 police officers and closed once and for all. Although political actions of Heidelberg students have seldom occurred since then, the student body has kept a rather left-wing orientation and the city still has one of the highest ratios of policemen per capita in Germany.

Enrolment

Today, about 25,000 Students are enrolled for studies at the Ruperto Carola. More than 15,000 academics and over 400 Professors make it one of Germany's larger universities.

Alumni

Thinkers associated with the university

• Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
• atheist Ludwig Feuerbach
• existentialist philosopher-psychologist Karl Jaspers
• political theorist Hannah Arendt
• philosopher of hermeneutics Hans-Georg Gadamer
• critical theorist and philosopher Jürgen Habermas
• philosopher of discourse ethics Karl-Otto Apel

Scientists

• chemist Robert Bunsen
• physicists Gustav Kirchhoff and Philipp Lenard
• Otto Haxel
• 2001 Nobel Laureate Wolfgang Ketterle.

Literates

• Joseph von Eichendorff
• Jean Paul
• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

See also: Mediaeval university

External link

• University of Heidelberg (http://www.uni-heidelberg.de)
• Coimbra Group (http://www.coimbra-group.be) (a network of leading European universities)