Prussian Academy of Sciences

• 1. Founding And Early Structure

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  On the 11th of July 1700, Prince-elector Frederick III of Brandenburg established a new institution in Berlin. He named it the Electoral-Brandenburger Society of Sciences based on advice from Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Leibniz became the first president and suggested a unique funding model for the group. Unlike other academies, this body did not receive direct money from the state treasury. Instead, Frederick granted the society the monopoly to produce and sell calendars throughout Brandenburg. This financial arrangement allowed the organization to operate independently while growing its influence. In 1701, Frederick was crowned King in Prussia and created the Kingdom of Prussia. The Academy changed its name to the Royal Prussian Society of Sciences at that time. It became the first academy to teach both sciences and humanities simultaneously. By 1710, the Academy statute divided the work into two science classes and two humanities classes. These four original classes remained unchanged until 1830.

• 2. Frederick The Great Era

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  King Frederick II of Prussia took control of the Academy in 1744 and merged it with another literary society. The new entity became known as the Royal Academy of Sciences and adopted French as its official language. Publications like the Histoire de l'Académie royale des sciences et belles lettres de Berlin appeared between 1745 and 1796 in that tongue. Before Frederick ascended the throne in 1740, similar bodies in London and Paris overshadowed the local group. He made speculative philosophy the most important topic of study for his members. The membership included notable philosophers such as Immanuel Kant and Jean-Baptiste le Rond d'Alembert. Pierre-Louis de Maupertuis served as director from 1746 to 1759 and argued that individuals worked for the glory of the state. A crisis emerged during mid-century due to scandals and internal rivalries between Newtonianism and Leibnizian views. Personality conflicts arose between the philosopher Voltaire and the mathematician Maupertuis. By 1789, the academy had gained international repute while making major contributions to German culture and thought. Joseph-Louis Lagrange succeeded Leonhard Euler as director after both were recognized as world-class mathematicians.

• 3. Nineteenth Century Expansion

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  Beginning in 1815, research businesses led by Academy committees began to form at the institution. Groups such as the Greek-Roman Archeology Committee or the Oriental Committee employed scientists to work alongside corresponding committee members. These specialized units operated within the larger framework of the Prussian Academy for decades. University departments eventually emanated from some of these businesses after 1945. The structure allowed for deep specialization in fields like archeology and oriental studies. This expansion marked a shift from broad philosophical inquiry to targeted scientific investigation. The committees provided a stable environment for researchers to pursue complex questions over long periods. Their existence laid the groundwork for future academic structures in Germany. The transition of these bodies into university departments represented a significant evolution in how knowledge was organized and taught.

• 4. Einstein And Scientific Milestones

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  On the 25th of November 1915 Albert Einstein presented his field equations of general relativity to the Academy. This presentation marked a pivotal moment in the history of physics and the institution itself. Einstein had become a proper member of the group in 1914 before delivering this landmark talk. His work introduced new concepts about gravity that would reshape modern science. Other notable members included Max Planck who joined as a proper member in 1894. Hermann von Helmholtz served as both a corresponding member starting in 1857 and later as a proper member in 1871. Friedrich Georg Frobenius became a proper member in 1893. These scientists contributed to a legacy of excellence that spanned centuries. The Academy hosted presentations that changed our understanding of the universe. The event on that specific date remains one of the most famous moments in its history.

• 5. Nazification And Displacement

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  Under the rule of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945, the Academy was subject to the Gleichschaltung process. This mechanism established totalitarian control over various aspects of society including academic institutions. Jewish Academy members were not expelled until 1938 following a direct request by the Ministry of Education. This delay occurred compared with other institutions where Jewish employees and members were expelled starting in 1933. A new Academy statute went into effect on the 8th of June 1939. It reorganized the Academy according to the Nazi leadership principle known as the Führerprinzip. The restructuring aimed to align all activities with the ideology of the ruling party. Many intellectuals faced displacement or silence during this dark period. The institution lost much of its international character under these pressures. The Ministry of Education played a key role in determining who remained within the organization.

• 6. Postwar Reorganization And Dissolution

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  Following World War II, the Soviet Military Administration in Germany reorganized the Academy on the 1st of July 1946. They renamed it the Deutsche Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. In 1972, it became known as the Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR or AdW. At its height, the AdW employed 400 researchers and 24,000 staff across locations in East Germany. Following German Reunification, the Academy was disbanded and replaced by the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften. This change complied with a treaty between the State Parliaments of Berlin and Brandenburg signed in 1992. Sixty members broke off from the AdW to create the private Leibniz Society in 1993. The original Prussian Academy ceased to exist after more than three centuries of operation. Its legacy continues through the new organizations that inherited its archives and traditions.