Bauhaus-Universität Weimar: News

Published: 25 March 2025

BEYOND NOW – Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Begins with Its Annual Themes in April

The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar will begin its first six-semester annual theme series, »BEYOND NOW⸺ Environment ⸺ Technology ⸺ Human« in the 2025 summer semester. The Presidential Board hopes to increase the visibility and effectiveness of research, teaching, and transfer activities in society by the end of the 2027/2028 winter semester.

Dr. Ulrike Kuch at the closing event for »Demokratie stärken« (strengthening democracy) in December 2024. Photo: Thomas Müller

Published: 13 January 2025

BAUHAUS.INSIGHTS: One Year of »Demokratie stärken« (strengthening democracy) – What Can We Take Away for the Future?

»Demokratie stärken« (strengthening democracy) was the theme at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar in 2024. More than 30 projects that focussed on strengthening democracy and participating in democratic processes were carried out through the university's own courses, research projects, and art projects, all in cooperation with partners in Weimar and Thuringia. The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar’s intention was to improve trust in democracy, science, art and educational institutions in 2024 during Thuringia’s super election year.

Main Building of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar with Van de Velde Building. Photo: Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, Thomas Müller

Published: 25 November 2024

»Weimar Talks« – Vice President of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Extends Invitation to New Exchange Format

The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and the city of Weimar are closely intertwined. Even so, it is not always easy to raise questions or put forward suggestions about this relationship, the university itself, or science to the University Directorate. To change this, a new dialogue and exchange format has been launched, known as »Weimar Talks«. All residents of Weimar are cordially invited to join us at the Atelier Café, located behind the Main Building, for a cup of coffee or tea in a relaxed setting.

This year’s theme of »Demokratie stärken« (strengthening democracy) kicked off in April with a networking meeting in the Bauhaus.Atelier. Dedicated university members were able to get to know one another and discuss their project plans. The initiative was introduced by Vice President Ulrike Kuch. Photo: Marit Haferkamp, Newsteam

Published: 22 November 2024

»Demokratie stärken«: Invitation to the Final Meeting on 4 December

The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar set itself a clear focal point for 2024: »Demokratie stärken« (strengthening democracy). Throughout the year, the initiative has provided support for numerous projects that focus on fostering democracy, participating in democratic processes, and that place these topics at the centre of teaching content and research projects. During this year’s elections in Thuringia, this theme emphasised how important an open-minded society and a strong democracy are for today's educational institutions the essential role these factors play in their identity. Dr. Ulrike Kuch, Vice President for Social Transformation, began and led this year's initiative.

Visualisation of Maurice Halbwachs. Image: Elisa Goldammer

Published: 14 November 2024

»AUSBLICKSPUNKTE. Bücher von und über Maurice Halbwachs« (books on and about Maurice Halbwachs) Exhibition

In December 2024, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Audimax will be renamed the »Maurice Halbwachs Auditorium«. Through this dedication, the university is honouring the life and work of French sociologist and philosopher Maurice Halbwachs (1877–1945), who died at Buchenwald concentration camp of an illness resulting from his imprisonment. An accompanying exhibition of his work and its reception will be presented at the University Library.

Maurice Halbwachs, 1944. Photo: Collège de France Archives; edited.

Published: 30 October 2024

Invitation to Renaming Ceremony: Bauhaus-Universität Weimar to Rename Auditorium Maximum as »Maurice Halbwachs Auditorium«

Maurice Halbwachs (1877 - 1945) was an influential French sociologist and philosopher who taught at the Université de Strasbourg, the Sorbonne in Paris and at the Collège de France. His wide-ranging work includes fundamental contributions to the sociology of labour and economics, the sociology of social classes, urban sociology, the sociology of suicide, social morphology and statistics. His study on »The Social Frameworks of Memory«, published in 1925, and his subsequent theory of collective memory are regarded as influential far beyond his time. Halbwachs was also a pioneer of Franco-German academic exchange and inter-confessional dialogue.

Published: 23 October 2024

BAUHAUS.INSIGHTS: A Place of Remembrance for Maurice Halbwachs

Maurice Halbwachs was an influential French sociologist who was deported to Buchenwald in 1944 during the reign of terror under the German National Socialist regime. He died at the concentration camp a few months later as a result of his imprisonment. Even today, there is nothing in Weimar to commemorate the renowned sociologist — something the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar aims to change, taking responsibility for acknowledging this part of history. In December 2024, the university will be renaming its largest lecture hall, the Auditorium Maximum, the »Maurice Halbwachs Auditorium« in his honour. For the BAUHAUS.INSIGHTS series, we spoke to Professor Henning Schmidgen and Professor Frank Eckardt, two of the individuals behind the initiative, about the sociologist and philosopher Maurice Halbwachs and their relationship to his work and his life.

Published: 17 October 2024

»Nous & Moi« Event Series Explores Democratic Engagement

From 18 October to 10 December 2024, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Sprachenzentrum | Centre for Language and Cultural Learning will be hosting a series of events at the Markt 21 Gallery in Weimar and exploring topics of democratic participation and European identity.

Dr. Ulrike Kuch, Vice President for Social Transformation at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, in conversation at the »Weimarer Wissensdialog«. Photo: Thomas Müller

Published: 28 August 2024

This Was the »Weimar Wissensdialog«

As part of the action week of the Weltoffenes Thüringen initiative, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, together with numerous other educational institutions from Weimar, hosted the »Weimarer Wissensdialog« on Herderplatz on 23 August.

Published: 20 August 2024

Who are you going to the polls with? - Bauhaus-Universität Weimar motivates people to vote with a humorous, student-created campaign

Democracy depends on the active participation of each individual. Especially in times when political decisions have a significant impact on our future. We would like to encourage you to use your right to vote and actively participate in the democratic process on 1 September 2024 as part of the Thuringian state parliament elections. Every vote counts!