Humboldt University of Berlin
Public research university pioneering the Humboldtian model of higher education.
The Humboldt University of Berlin is a public research university located in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin, Germany. Established in 1809 by King Frederick William III on the initiative of Wilhelm von Humboldt, Johann Gottlieb Fichte, and Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher, it opened in 1810. It is known worldwide for pioneering the Humboldtian model of higher education, which has strongly influenced other European and Western universities, and is generally regarded as having been the world's preeminent university for the natural sciences during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Quick Facts
- Native Name
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
- Motto
- Universitas litterarum / (Latin)
- Motto Lang
- la
- Motto Eng
- The University of Letters
- Established
- 1810-10-15
- Former Names
- Universität zu Berlin / (1809–1827) · Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität zu Berlin / (1828–1948)
- Budget
- EUR 536.0 million / (2022)
- President
- Julia von Blumenthal
- Academic Staff
- 2,403
- Administrative Staff
- 1,516
- Students
- 37,222
- Undergrad
- 18,712
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The university was established by King Frederick William III on 16 August 1809 during the Prussian Reform Movement, on the initiative of Wilhelm von Humboldt. It was located in the Prinz-Heinrich-Palais on Unter den Linden, a former palace built for Prince Henry of Prussia. The first students were admitted on 6 October 1810, with 256 students and 52 lecturers in faculties of law, medicine, theology, and philosophy. From 1828 until 1945, it was named the Royal Friedrich Wilhelm University of Berlin. During the Cold War, the university found itself in East Berlin and was de facto split in two when the Free University of Berlin opened in West Berlin. It received its current name in honor of Alexander and Wilhelm von Humboldt in 1949.
Reader's Guide
The Humboldt University of Berlin is significant for its role in shaping modern higher education through the Humboldtian model, which emphasizes the union of teaching and research. This model became a template for other European and Western universities, including Johns Hopkins University. The university is linked to major breakthroughs in physics and other sciences, with professors such as Albert Einstein. Its past and present faculty and alumni include 57 Nobel Prize laureates, the most of any German university, as well as influential figures like Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Otto von Bismarck, Max Planck, and W. E. B. Du Bois. The university's main campus on Unter den Linden was damaged during World War II and rebuilt from 1949 to 1962. Today, it is divided into nine faculties, including a medical school shared with the Freie Universität Berlin, and offers degree programs in some 171 disciplines.
Did You Know?
- The university was originally named the University of Berlin and from 1828 to 1945 was called the Royal Friedrich Wilhelm University of Berlin.
- It established an early academic chair in the field of history in 1810, though earlier chairs existed, such as at the University of Göttingen in 1734.
- The main building, Prinz-Heinrich-Palais, was originally built for Prince Henry of Prussia from 1748 to 1753.
- Eight statues from the destroyed Potsdam City Palace were placed on the side wings of the university building in 1967.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Humboldt University of Berlin?
It is a public research university located in the Mitte district of Berlin, Germany. The institution was chartered in 1809 by King Frederick William III and began teaching in 1810, driven by the vision of Wilhelm von Humboldt, Johann Gottlieb Fichte, and Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher.
What are Humboldt University of Berlin's powers/role?
As a public research university, it serves as a center for both advanced scholarship and undergraduate and graduate instruction. Its defining contribution is the Humboldtian model, which fuses research and teaching into a single integrated academic mission.
Why is Humboldt University of Berlin important?
It is broadly considered to have been the world's foremost university for the natural sciences throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Its educational philosophy has since shaped the structure and ethos of universities across Europe and the wider Western world.
How many Nobel laureates are associated with Humboldt University of Berlin?
A total of 57 Nobel Prize winners have been linked to the university as either graduates or faculty members. That figure reflects its long-standing role as a hub for groundbreaking scientific and intellectual achievement.
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