The German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (), in short Leopoldina, is the national academy of Germany, and is located in Halle (Saale). Founded on 1 January 1652, based on academic models in Italy, it was originally named the Academia Naturae Curiosorum until 1687 when Emperor Leopold I raised it to an academy and named it after himself. It was since known under the German name Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina until 2007, when it was declared to be Germany's National Academy of Sciences. It was founded by four local physicians – Johann Laurentius Bausch, the first president of the society, Johann Michael Fehr, Georg Balthasar Metzger, and Georg Balthasar Wohlfarth; and was the only academy like it at the time making it the oldest academy of science in Germany.<sup>, pp.&nbsp;7–8</sup> It was recognized by Emperor Leopold I who raised it to an academy in 1677, and then declared it an Imperial Academy in 1687, naming it Sacri Romani Imperii Academia Caesareo-Leopoldina Naturae Curiosorum and allowing it to carry his name.

At first, the society conducted its business by correspondence and was located wherever the president was working. Eight of them were murdered by the Nazis over the course of World War II. Nevertheless, the Leopoldina did not suffer as much influence from the Nazi regime as other German academies, thanks to the president of the Leopoldina at the time, Emil Abderhalden.

After World War II, Halle became part of East Germany. During this time, the German Democratic Republic shut down all societies, leading the members of the Leopoldina to meet unofficially and in private. Efforts were made to reestablish the Academy, however. An edition of Goethe's 'The Works of Science' began to be edited under the Academy's name in 1947, and lectures started again in 1948. However, the Academy was not officially reopened until 1952. This reopening came just in time for the Academy to celebrate its tercentenary.

After reopening, the Leopoldina successfully resisted attempts from the German Democratic Republic to reconstitute the Academy as a specifically East German institute and continued to think of itself as an institution for the whole of Germany. This was greatly affected by the building of the Berlin Wall in August 1961. The Academy was able to stay independent of national politics, which allowed it to bridge East and West Germany through scientific ideas.

Among the most noted of fellows are for instance:

Past presidents of the Leopoldina with time and place of office:

  • 1652–1665 Johann Lorenz Bausch (Schweinfurt)
  • 1666–1686 Johann Michael Fehr (Schweinfurt)
  • 1686–1693 Johann Georg Volckamer (Nürnberg)
  • 1693–1730 Lukas Schröck (Augsburg)
  • 1730–1735 Johann Jakob Baier (Altdorf bei Nürnberg)
  • 1735–1769 Andreas Elias von Büchner (Erfurt, Halle)
  • 1770–1788 Ferdinand Jakob Baier (Nürnberg)
  • 1788–1791 Heinrich Friedrich Delius (Erlangen)
  • 1791–1810 Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber (Erlangen)
  • 1811–1818 Friedrich von Wendt (Erlangen)
  • 1818–1858 Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck (Erlangen, Bonn, Breslau)
  • 1858–1862 Dietrich Georg Kieser (Jena)
  • 1862–1869 Carl Gustav Carus (Dresden)
  • 1870–1878 Wilhelm Friedrich Behn (Dresden)
  • 1878–1895 Hermann Knoblauch (since then: Halle)
  • 1895–1906 Karl von Fritsch (Halle)
  • 1906–1921 Albert Wangerin (Halle)
  • 1921–1924 August Gutzmer (Halle)
  • 1924–1931 Johannes Walther (Halle)
  • 1932–1950 Emil Abderhalden (Halle, Zürich)
  • 1952–1953 Otto Schlüter (Halle)
  • 1954–1974 Kurt Mothes (Halle)
  • 1974–1990 Heinz Bethge (Halle)
  • 1990–2003 Benno Parthier (Halle)
  • 2003–2010 Volker ter Meulen (Halle)
  • 2010–2020 Jörg Hacker (Halle)
  • 2020–2025 Gerald Haug (Halle)
  • 2025–present Bettina Rockenbach (Halle)

See also

  • Acatech – German's national academy of science and engineering

References

  • Miscellanea curiosa on the Biodiversity Heritage Library