Wittheit of Bremen

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Scientific Society Wittheit zu Bremen eV
(Wittheit)
purpose Promotion of science in the state of Bremen Specialist society
Chair: Gerold Wefer
Establishment date: October 29, 1924
Seat : Bremen , House of Science

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Website: www.wittheit.de

The Wittheit zu Bremen is the scientific society of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen . It was founded in 1924 by the doctor Georg Strube and has a permanent office in the House of Science in Bremen. The Wittheit zu Bremen is a registered association.

Its president is the geologist Gerold Wefer (founder and until 2012 director of MARUM ), vice-presidents are the ancient historian Hans Kloft and the historian Lars U. Scholl (former managing director of the German Maritime Museum ). The Wittheit hosts numerous lectures. Members are all the important scientific institutions in the state of Bremen, currently 103 scientific associations, institutes, universities , colleges and museums as well as 73 personally appointed members.

history

Wittichheit from the Middle Ages

In the 14th century there was the term wydheyt or witticheit for a gathering of knowledgeable people. The term can be found in addenda to Bremen's municipal law from 1303 to 1308 as the entirety of the Bremen council , i.e. all councilors and mayors. The City Council of Bremen discussed important matters with the committee. Later the councilors who were not on oath were also represented on the committee.

Predecessor club

The Association for Scientific Lectures had existed since 1910 . The association's chairman was Senator Hermann Hildebrand , who became mayor in 1917. During the First World War , the work of this association was interrupted. Around 1923 discussions took place between the representatives of the scientific associations and the Senate (Senator Theodor Spitta ), with the aim of founding an umbrella association for these associations.

founding

The Bremen Scientific Society (BWG) was founded on October 29, 1924, which was later renamed Wittheit zu Bremen . The aim was to “summarize and promote scientific endeavors and work in the area of ​​the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen”.

The founders included the doctor Georg Strube , the radiologist Hans Meyer , the Chamber of Commerce Syndicus Johannes Rösing and the philosopher Johann Hinrich Knittermeyer. The first president was the chief physician Strube, and the secretary was the later director of the Knittermeyer city ​​library . On February 14, 1925, Strube gave the foundation speech at the foundation ceremony. In it he announced that every year on November 5th, the birthday of Johann Smidt , a festive meeting, the "Smidt meeting", would take place.

First tasks

The BWG organized lectures and lectures and published treatises on the lectures of the BWG (series D) and the associations (series A to C). The initial principle of the specialist sections changed to six specialist commissions. The editing of the publication series lay with the museum director Ernst Grohne . The pedagogue, literary historian and folklorist Hermann Tardel published the Low German Journal for Folklore as series E from 1927 .

Further developments until 1945

From 1930 a president and a vice-president led the BWG and an administrative committee dealt with the day-to-day business. Since 1933 the President of the BWG was appointed by the Bremen Senate and the President appointed the members of the Board of Directors. Hermann Entholt , Director of the Bremen State Archives , was appointed President from 1933 to 1936. In 1936 he was followed by the director of the State Library Hinrich Knittermeyer, who had joined the NSDAP in 1933 . As early as 1933, Adolf Seidler, a Nazi cultural policeman, was appointed to the board by the Senate.

In 1937 the BWG was to be converted into a state academy in Bremen. But it was not until June 7, 1941, with the new name Wittheit zu Bremen, that the BWG was transformed into the Scientific Office of the Hanseatic City of Bremen . The scientific associations in Bremen were now formally affiliated, but could largely act independently. These changes were made on the initiative of Knittermeyer and Senator Richard Duckwitz (NSDAP). Due to the war, the publication of most scientific series had to be stopped in 1943. Only the series D and the new series L of Wittheit zu Bremen still appeared. Knittermeyer was released after the Second World War and the Wittheit initially went out.

New beginning after 1945

Education Senator Christian Paulmann (SPD) and Syndicus Rösing managed the new beginning of Wittheit. The board now consisted of the Senate-appointed President and his deputy and the President-appointed accountant and secretary. In 1946, Entholt was reappointed president. The state paid the state Wittheit a grant for its tasks.

It was not until 1950 that Wittheit became an association again with the scientific associations and individuals as members. He remained in office until 1954 as the now elected President. In 2017, Wittheit had 103 scientifically active associations and institutions as well as 73 personally appointed members.

The yearbook of Bremen science has been published since 1955, and the yearbook of Wittheit zu Bremen since 1957 . There are still monographs published on specific topics. The publications of the affiliated associations no longer appeared due to Wittheit.

tasks

According to its own statements, the tasks of Wittheit today include the organization of scientific lectures, the issuing of scientific publications, the suggestion and support of scientific work, as well as the maintenance of relationships with universities and other scientific institutes and the maintenance of exchange relationships with scientific bodies and institutes and associations.

Every year in autumn, Wittheit publishes a program with the public lectures (around 250) offered by its member organizations. It organizes its own lectures by Wittheit, in which regional and national scientists give lectures. Publications on selected topics appear every two years.

The Bremen Prize for Local Research , originally donated (1954) by the Senate as the Senate Prize for local scientific research , has been awarded annually since the 1990s by the Natural Science Association with the societies and associations of historians, prehistorians, geographers and folklorists.

circle of friends

In 1928 a first circle of friends of the BWG was founded, which non-members of the BWG could also join.

In 1987 the Friends of Wittheit zu Bremen was founded. Its aim is to support their charitable work, in particular through financial donations.

Important members and presidents

Individual evidence

  1. a b c Wittheit zu Bremen. hausderwissenschaft.de, accessed on February 19, 2017 .

Web links

Homepage of Wittheit