Award of the Physics Institute building of the University of Graz as a "Historic Site" of the European Physical Society (EPS)
To date, there are 74 such historically important research sites in physics worldwide. By resolution of the European Physical Society (EPS) on November 16, 2023, the building of the Institute of Physics at the University of Graz, which was built between 1872 and 1876 under the supervision of the physicist August Toepler, has now been honored with the high distinction of Historic Site. This is the fourth award in Austria.
The nomination is based on an initiative of the First European Center for the History of Physics (ECHOPHYSICS, founded by Peter Maria Schuster). In addition to the unveiling of a commemorative plaque, a symposium on the historical development of the institute and its leading figure Ludwig Boltzmann is organized for June 7, 2024.
Ludwig Boltzmann (1844 - 1906) acts as the central person on the occasion of the 180th anniversary of his birth. In 1876, in his second professorship in Graz as full professor of (general and experimental) physics, he moved into this new institute building erected 150 years ago, which was considered one of the most modern physics research facilities at the time. Over the course of time, a number of other outstanding physicists have studied, worked and taught here: August Toepler, Albert von Ettingshausen, Walter Nernst, Svante Arrhenius, Alfred and Kurt Wegener, Viktor F. Hess, Erwin Schrödinger, Adolf Smekal, Hans Benndorf, Paul Urban, Otto Burkhard, Wilhelm Nordberg, Günther Porod.
Homepage on EPS historic sites: https://www.eps.org/page/distinction_sites
Time travel through the history of the University of Graz: https://1585-tomorrow.uni-graz.at/de/#/
Contact persons:
Univ. Prof. i.R. Dr. Heinz Krenn: heinz.krenn@uni-graz.at
Dr. Sonja Draxler: sonja.draxler@uni-graz.at