The Max Planck Society was founded February 26, 1948 in Göttingen as successor organisation of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society
From its predecessor, the MPG took over the mandate to foster basic research in its own Institutes as well as elementary principles and structures of research funding. The Kaiser Wilhelm Society (KWG) was founded in 1911 and quickly established itself nationally and internationally thanks to its outstanding scientific achievements. After the Nazis came into power, the KWG leadership and many of its scientists became willing supporters of the regime. As a result, the Allies, after the end of WWII, urged that the KWG should be dissolved. In 1948, a new start became possible with the internationally renowned and Nobel Prize Laureate for Physics, Max Planck, who was regarded as an outstanding scientist internationally and whose reputation was untarnished by the war. The MPG evolved into one of the mainstays of the science landscape of the Federal Republic of Germany, which was founded in 1949. After German reunification, numerous institutes were opened in eastern Germany.
75 years Max Planck Society
In 2023 the Max Planck Society will celebrate its 75th anniversary. Within this context, various events will be held. [more]
History of the Max Planck Society
Major milestones and key events in the history of the Max Planck Society from 1945 until the present day. [more]
History of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society
The history of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society began January 11th, 1911. This timeline outlines the events, milestones and turning points in the history of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society up from the founding idea from 1909 through to 1945. [more]
In 1997, the Max Planck Society appointed a committee of independent historians to comprehensively address the history of its predecessor organization, the Kaiser Wilhelm Society (KWS), in the National Socialist era. The project was completed in 2007: 17 volumes of research and 28 preprints now attest to the part played in the NS state by scientists and research managers at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institutes (KWIs) and KWS administrative headquarters. [more]
On 19th October 1900, a revolution in physics begins unnoticed. On this day, Max Planck presents a new radiation law. It describes the energy distribution of thermal radiation. Later it becomes clear that this law is incompatible with classical physics. It requires a revolution in the understanding of radiation and energy: radiation consists of energy packets, the quanta. [more]
Local history in Berlin-Dahlem
Discover the Max Planck Society's history in Berlin Dahlem, 'Germany's Oxford'.
Guided City Tours (PDF)
Find out more about our guided city tours on the historic Berlin-Dahlem campus.
Harnack House Exhibition
Founded in 1929, the history of Max Planck Society's conference venue in Berlin reflects German history in the 20th century from the 1920s to National Socialism and the Cold War era.
Susanne Kiewitz: Hub of Nobel Laureate. Jaron, Berlin 2016.
DENKORTE. Max-Planck-Gesellschaft and Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gesellschaft. Sandstein, Dresden 2011. Essays (PDF)
History of the Max Planck Society (PDF)
History of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society (PDF)
Nobel Prize 2022 for Svante Pääbo
Awards Denisovan Medicine Neanderthals Physiology
The director of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig is honoured for his pioneering work in the field of palaeogenetics, of which he is considered the founder
Patrick Cramer appointed new President-elect of the Max Planck Society as of June 2023
At its meeting on 23 June 2022 in Berlin, the Max Planck Society's Senate appointed Patrick Cramer as new President-elect of the Max Planck Society for the term of office from 2023 to 2029
Call for Peace
International Research Policy
More than 100 Nobel Laureates from various disciplines are calling for peace in the face of the war in Ukraine emanating from Russian soil. They have signed a declaration initiated by the Max Planck Society and supported by the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings.
Chemistry Nobel Prize for Benjamin List
Awards Chemistry (M&T)
Benjamin List, Director at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung is honoured with the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on asymmetric catalysis. He shares the award with David MacMillan from Princeton University.
Physics Nobel Prize 2021 for Klaus Hasselmann
Awards Climate
Klaus Hasselmann, founding Director of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, receives the Nobel Prize in Physics 2021 together with Syukuro Manabe (USA) and Giorgio Parisi (Italy)
Radio telescope Effelsberg turns 50
The 100-metre antenna has written scientific history and is still one of the top telescopes today
Nobel Laureate Paul J. Crutzen has died
He investigated the causes of the hole in the ozone layer and coined the term 'Anthropocene'.
Emmanuelle Charpentier honoured with the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Awards Genome Editing (Crispr)
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Prof. Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier, Scientific and Managing Director of the newly established Max Planck Unit for the Science of Pathogens in Berlin for her groundbreaking work on the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology. She shares the prize with Jennifer Doudna from the University of California, Berkeley, USA.
Reinhard Genzel receives the Nobel Prize for Physics 2020
Astrophysics Awards Black Holes
The Max Planck director is honoured for his observations of the black hole in the galactic center
A sure hand at the scientific helm
Reimar Lüst, former President of the Max Planck Society and pioneer of European space research, has died
"Forgive your worst enemy"
Eva Mozes Kor, one of the last Auschwitz survivors and victims of medical human experiments, died on 4 July 2019. She dedicated her life to campaigning for Holocaust remembrance and reconciliation - also with the Max Planck Society, which, as the Kaiser Wilhelm Society's successor, accepted the difficult legacy of its predecessor organziation, burdened by unethical research.
Second term for Max Planck President Martin Stratmann
The Max Planck Society's Senate confirms the incumbent President for the new term of office beginning in June 2020