Cover of the magazine LICHTGEDANKEN issue 10.

LICHTGEDANKEN 10

The Research Magazine

Cover of the magazine LICHTGEDANKEN issue 10.

Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)

Feature: »The imagined reality«

On the legacy of Romanticism in the modern world

Does life have a meaning? And if so, what is it? Are we as individuals part of a greater whole? Some questions cannot be answered unequivocally, even with the most sophisticated scientific methods. But that does not stop us from searching for answers nevertheless. In doing so, we allow ourselves to be guided by our imagination: we create utopias, envision the future and imagine worlds and dimensions that go beyond those that can be measured and experienced. This form of conscious creation of meaning is an invention of Romanticism—the second innovative movement after the Enlightenment to set modernity on its way. Researchers at the University of Jena are studying the present-day traces of this era, in the very place where Romanticism had its origins in Germany.

Editorial

Picture: Städtische Museen Jena
The dawn of the modern age The roots of Romanticism in Germany can be found in Jena
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
What we cannot know, we imagine An Interview with literature expert Stefan Matuschek
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
Romanticism around the world Three researchers and their projects on the »Romantic Model«
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
The new freedom of vision On the traces of Romanticism in the visual arts of Europe
Image: bpk / Hamburger Kunsthalle / Elke Walford
Romanticism favours »as well as« approach over »either or« A painting offers Romantic approaches to crisis management
Image: Kupferstich-Kabinett, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden
»Friedrich had quite a sense of humour« Art historian Johannes Grave examines the writings of Friedrich
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
The world must be romanticized Sandra Kerschbaumer on Romantic motifs in politics
Image: Doreen Kirsche (Universität Jena)
The extraordinary in the ordinary An invitation to view the urban environment with different eyes
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
»We have to know and recognize our own history of thought« Helmut Hühn on the importance of Romantic places of remembrance
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
Calendar Johann Wilhelm Ritter discovered the UV radiation in Jena

Reportage

Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)

Resurrecting a professor Ortolph Fomann the Younger died in 1640 and was buried in the church at the »Collegium Jenense«. Now, almost 400 years later, an interdisciplinary team is working on virtually resurrecting the man who taught history, poetry and law in Jena.

Further Topics:

Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)

PhD student Vahid Nozari uses a microscope to examine the new synthetic glass.

Melting glasses from unmeltable compounds

Chemists at the University of Jena developed methods for manufacturing glasses from non-melting compounds

Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
Portrait Dirk von Petersdorff—scientist and poet
Image: Jens Meyer (University of Jena)
Behind the Scenes The Phyletic Museum's wet collection has been relocated
Image: Jürgen Scheere (University of Jena)
Exchange of views Why do we need science communication?

Sections

Notice

Articles identified by name do not have to correspond with the views of the publisher and the editorial team. The signatories are responsible for the content. For better readability, we have sometimes only used the masculine language form in the articles. However, all genders are equally addressed with the chosen phrases.

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