Potsdam's scientific institutions published an open letter for a tolerant society, rejecting all expressions of hatred, violence, and intolerance towards people on the basis of their origins, appearance, religion, or other grounds. They position themselves in the ongoing discussion about refugees in the state of Brandenburg, and in Germany.
“It is harder to crack a prejudice than an atom.”
Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Science thrives in open-minded environments – in places that foster our curiosity of the unknown and encourage a free and impartial exchange of ideas and people across nations, cultures, religions, and ethnicities. The closed society is the antithesis of science.
With science, the free spirit of the open society has found a home in Potsdam – a city which has hosted a number of world-renowned scientists throughout its history, among them Albert Einstein, who was forced to flee to the United States in 1933. In relative terms, no other city in Germany is home to more scientists than Potsdam. Many of the institutions based here employ researchers from diverse countries. With over 10 000 employees, the science sector is one of the leading sources of employment in the region. Around 25 000 students attend colleges and universities in Potsdam. Each year our city is visited by numerous researchers from around the world. And every day, researchers in Potsdam engage in joint research with colleagues based at institutes abroad to bring about a better future for people here in Germany and throughout the world.
To call into question the fundamental right to human dignity and its protection – as has occurred here in Potsdam in recent weeks in the context of the refugee crisis – is to attack the very spirit and character of this city. As the leaders of research institutes based in Potsdam, we reject all expressions of hatred, violence, and intolerance towards people on the basis of their origins, appearance, religion, or other grounds. There is no place in our country or in our city for hostility towards foreigners and those who come to us seeking refuge. These attempts to create a climate of hate run counter to our values as Europeans, as Germans, and as citizens of Potsdam – and to our interests as a leading centre for science and business.
We are extremely proud of the many employees at our institutes who, on their own initiative, dedicate considerable effort to fostering a caring and tolerant society in which violence has no place – whether they do so by helping those in need or by standing up for the liberal values that underpin our society. They are role models to us all, and we call on Potsdam to maintain its tradition as a cosmopolitan and tolerant city – not simply for the sake of science, but for the sake of all those who live here and who come as guests to our city.
(Current signatories, in alphabetical order by surname)
Leif Berling
Principal
Protestant Secondary School Hermannswerder
Prof. Dr. Eckard Binas
President
University of Applied Science Potsdam
Prof. Dr. Alexander Böker
Director
Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research, Fraunhofer IAP
Prof. Dr. Frank Bösch
Chair
Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Buller
Director Branch Potsdam/Golm
Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Fraunhofer IZI-BB
Prof. Dr. Hartmut Dorgerloh
Director General
Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg
Prof. Dr. Helmut Dosch
Chairman of the DESY Board of Directors
German Electron Synchrotron DESY, A Research Center of the Helmholtz Association
Prof. Dr. Günter Esser
Managing Director
Academy for Physiotherapy and Intervention Research
Klaus Faber
Chairman
Wissenschaftsforum of the Social Democrats in Berlin, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg Western Pomerania
Prof. Karin Flegel
Managing Director
Urania „Wilhelm Foerster“ Potsdam e.V.
Prof. Dr. Tilman Grune
Scientific Director
German Institute of Human Nutrition, DIfE
Prof. Oliver Günther, PhD
President
University of Potsdam
Prof. Dr. Reinhard Hüttl
Scientific Executive Director
Helmholtz-Centre Potsdam – GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences
Jann Jakobs
Chairman
proWissen Potsdam e.V.
Prof. Dr. Mark Lawrence
Managing Scientific Director
Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, IASS
Prof. Dr. Reinhard Lipowsky
Managing Director
Max Planck Institute of Colloids Interfaces
Prof. Dr. Karin Lochte
Director
Alfred-Wegener-Institute for polar and marine research, AWI
Christoph Miethke
Managing Director
Christoph Miethke GmbH
Prof. Dr. Susan Neiman
Director
Einstein Forum
Prof. Dr. Hermann Nicolai
Managing Director
Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert-Einstein-Institut)
Karen Pölk
Principal
Voltaire School Potsdam
Prof. Dr. Hans-Joachim Schellnhuber
Director
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, PIK
Uwe Schmidt
Principal
Leibniz Secondary School Potsdam
Prof. Dr. Matthias Steinmetz
Scientific Chairman
Leibniz Institute for Astrohysics Potsdam, AIP
Prof. Dr. Mark Stitt
Managing Director
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology
Prof. Dr. László Ungvári
President
Technical University of Applied Science Wildau
Prof. Dr. Dieter Wagner
Managing Director and Spokesman
UP Transfer GmbH
Prof. Dr. habil. Ditmar Wick
1st Vice President
University of Applied Sciences for Sport & Management Potsdam, European Sports Academy Brandenburg gGmbH
Published online by: Silvana Seppä
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