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| After the unveiling of the sculpture "The Theory of Relativity" (from right to left): Dr Michael Rogowski, member of the campaign’s advisory board, Prof. Dr. Christoph Meinel, Director of the Potsdam Hasso Plattner Institute, Christian Schubert, Director of Corporate Communication BASF AG Ludwigshafen, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Renn, Director of the Max Planck Institute of Scientific History, Mike de Vries, Managing Director of FC Deutschland GmbH |
2006/05/18
Presentation of the sixth major sculpture in the ‘Walk of Ideas’ in Berlin – ‘The Theory of Relativity’ in the Lustgarten
Berlin, 19 May 2006 – With the sculpture entitled ‘The Theory of Relativity’ the sixth and last station in the ‘Walk of Ideas’ has been unveiled in the Berlin Lustgarten.
The sculpture consists of three segments presenting Einstein’s formula “e = mc²”. ‘The Theory of Relativity’ symbolises the large number of scientific successes that German research has achieved in recent decades and that still have not lost their validity.
Find more about "The Theory of Relativity"
Mike de Vries, Managing Director of FC Deutschland GmbH, welcomed the guests with these words: “With the ‘Theory of Relativity’ the ‘Walk of Ideas’ has been given its last station. It consists of six sculptures at attractive locations in the centre of Berlin, which tell our guests about the wealth of ideas that our country produces. However, the series will be continued. Whereas it was ideas from the past that have been interpreted, the ‘Walk’ devotes itself entirely to the creativity of the modern era with the exhibition entitled ‘100 Minds of Tomorrow – the Future in the Land of Ideas’. This exhibition will soon be open to visitors in the German Historical Museum.”
Dr Michael Rogowski, one of the initiators of the project and a member of the campaign’s advisory board, stressed that the completion of the ‘Walk of Ideas’ should itself be regarded as a major success. “An impressive Walk of Ideas through the present-day centre of Berlin has been developed that presents clearly to the onlookers the ideas that Germany has produced and many more that are still possible today.”
Prof Jürgen Renn, a Director of the Max Planck Institute of Scientific History, drew attention to the significance to research of the theory of relativity. “No other scientist has left such a mark on the view of space, time and gravitation as Albert Einstein. His new view has had fundamental consequences for the development of scientific research. To mention just one example, ‘Big Bang’ models based on Einstein’s theory make it possible to describe the development of the universe as a whole.”
Prof Christoph Meinel, a Director of the Potsdam Hasso Plattner Institute, reported that his organisation recently became a cooperating partner in the ‘Germany – Land of Ideas’ campaign. “We have dedicated ourselves to promoting the young IT elite. For that reason alone we are therefore a real place of ideas. Who will provide innovative and creative ideas if well-educated and highly trained scientists do not? Albert Einstein’s striving for recognition in his younger years shows how important it is to give talented young people in research a chance.”
BASF in Ludwigshafen was represented by Christian Schubert, Director of Corporate Communication, who said, “The ‘Land of Ideas’ campaign and BASF are powerful partners with one common aim: to demonstrate and promote the wealth of ideas and the strength of Germany as a scientific location. We at BASF are proud of the fact that we made the ‘Walk of Ideas’ possible with our innovative insulation material Neopor® and our lacquer – a fine example of the diversity of ideas to be found in chemistry.”
The ‘Walk of Ideas’ invites guests to stroll through the centre of Berlin, passing by six major sculptures that symbolise the wealth of ideas in Germany. ‘The Modern Football Boot’, ‘Milestones in Medicine’, ‘The Automobile’, ‘Modern Letterpress Printing’, ‘Masterpieces of Music’ and ‘The Theory of Relativity’.
It is also ideas from Germany that made the production of these sculptures possible; they all consist of the innovative material Neopor® and are all coated with a novel kind of metal lacquer.
Even people who are a long way away from the ‘Walk of Ideas’ can explore it in a virtual tour on the Internet. ‘The Theory of Relativity” is the first sculpture to be available online, and the other five will follow at the beginning of June. The Potsdam Hasso Plattner Institute has developed ‘LandXplorer’, the underlying software technology with which the video clips were produced. They present the ‘Walk of Ideas’ as if seen from a helicopter, embedded in a three-dimensional model of the city of Berlin. They are available for downloading on the Internet sites of the Campaign and of the Hasso Plattner Institute (www.hpiweb.de).
The initiators
‘Germany – Land of Ideas’ is a joint national campaign by the Federal Government and German business, the latter represented by the National Federation of German Industry. The aim of the campaign is to present an image of Germany, at home and abroad, as an innovative, cosmopolitan and enthusiastic country. The patron of the campaign is the Federal President, Horst Köhler. FC Deutschland GmbH under its Managing Director Mike de Vries is coordinating the campaign. The ‘Land of Ideas’ is supported by numerous German companies and cooperating partners from the worlds of science, culture and society. The campaign is implementing five core projects: the ‘Walk of Ideas’ sculpture park, the ‘365 places in the Land of Ideas’ series of events, the FanClub, the International Media Service and the Welcome Campaigns.
The partners
adidas-Salomon AG • Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG • Allianz AG • AUDI AG • AWD Holding AG • BASF AG • Bayer AG • Deutsche Bank AG • Deutsche Börse AG • Deutsche Lufthansa AG • DHL • Deutsche Telekom AG • EnBW AG • E.ON AG • Fraport AG • Georgsmarienhütte Holding GmbH • HDI Versicherungen • Heitkamp & Thumann Group • IKB Deutsche Industriebank AG • Roland Berger Strategy Consultants • RWE AG • Voith AG • Wall AG
Find more about "The Theory of Relativity"
Mike de Vries, Managing Director of FC Deutschland GmbH, welcomed the guests with these words: “With the ‘Theory of Relativity’ the ‘Walk of Ideas’ has been given its last station. It consists of six sculptures at attractive locations in the centre of Berlin, which tell our guests about the wealth of ideas that our country produces. However, the series will be continued. Whereas it was ideas from the past that have been interpreted, the ‘Walk’ devotes itself entirely to the creativity of the modern era with the exhibition entitled ‘100 Minds of Tomorrow – the Future in the Land of Ideas’. This exhibition will soon be open to visitors in the German Historical Museum.”
Dr Michael Rogowski, one of the initiators of the project and a member of the campaign’s advisory board, stressed that the completion of the ‘Walk of Ideas’ should itself be regarded as a major success. “An impressive Walk of Ideas through the present-day centre of Berlin has been developed that presents clearly to the onlookers the ideas that Germany has produced and many more that are still possible today.”
Prof Jürgen Renn, a Director of the Max Planck Institute of Scientific History, drew attention to the significance to research of the theory of relativity. “No other scientist has left such a mark on the view of space, time and gravitation as Albert Einstein. His new view has had fundamental consequences for the development of scientific research. To mention just one example, ‘Big Bang’ models based on Einstein’s theory make it possible to describe the development of the universe as a whole.”
Prof Christoph Meinel, a Director of the Potsdam Hasso Plattner Institute, reported that his organisation recently became a cooperating partner in the ‘Germany – Land of Ideas’ campaign. “We have dedicated ourselves to promoting the young IT elite. For that reason alone we are therefore a real place of ideas. Who will provide innovative and creative ideas if well-educated and highly trained scientists do not? Albert Einstein’s striving for recognition in his younger years shows how important it is to give talented young people in research a chance.”
BASF in Ludwigshafen was represented by Christian Schubert, Director of Corporate Communication, who said, “The ‘Land of Ideas’ campaign and BASF are powerful partners with one common aim: to demonstrate and promote the wealth of ideas and the strength of Germany as a scientific location. We at BASF are proud of the fact that we made the ‘Walk of Ideas’ possible with our innovative insulation material Neopor® and our lacquer – a fine example of the diversity of ideas to be found in chemistry.”
The ‘Walk of Ideas’ invites guests to stroll through the centre of Berlin, passing by six major sculptures that symbolise the wealth of ideas in Germany. ‘The Modern Football Boot’, ‘Milestones in Medicine’, ‘The Automobile’, ‘Modern Letterpress Printing’, ‘Masterpieces of Music’ and ‘The Theory of Relativity’.
It is also ideas from Germany that made the production of these sculptures possible; they all consist of the innovative material Neopor® and are all coated with a novel kind of metal lacquer.
Even people who are a long way away from the ‘Walk of Ideas’ can explore it in a virtual tour on the Internet. ‘The Theory of Relativity” is the first sculpture to be available online, and the other five will follow at the beginning of June. The Potsdam Hasso Plattner Institute has developed ‘LandXplorer’, the underlying software technology with which the video clips were produced. They present the ‘Walk of Ideas’ as if seen from a helicopter, embedded in a three-dimensional model of the city of Berlin. They are available for downloading on the Internet sites of the Campaign and of the Hasso Plattner Institute (www.hpiweb.de).
The initiators
‘Germany – Land of Ideas’ is a joint national campaign by the Federal Government and German business, the latter represented by the National Federation of German Industry. The aim of the campaign is to present an image of Germany, at home and abroad, as an innovative, cosmopolitan and enthusiastic country. The patron of the campaign is the Federal President, Horst Köhler. FC Deutschland GmbH under its Managing Director Mike de Vries is coordinating the campaign. The ‘Land of Ideas’ is supported by numerous German companies and cooperating partners from the worlds of science, culture and society. The campaign is implementing five core projects: the ‘Walk of Ideas’ sculpture park, the ‘365 places in the Land of Ideas’ series of events, the FanClub, the International Media Service and the Welcome Campaigns.
The partners
adidas-Salomon AG • Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG • Allianz AG • AUDI AG • AWD Holding AG • BASF AG • Bayer AG • Deutsche Bank AG • Deutsche Börse AG • Deutsche Lufthansa AG • DHL • Deutsche Telekom AG • EnBW AG • E.ON AG • Fraport AG • Georgsmarienhütte Holding GmbH • HDI Versicherungen • Heitkamp & Thumann Group • IKB Deutsche Industriebank AG • Roland Berger Strategy Consultants • RWE AG • Voith AG • Wall AG
Welcome to Germany
