Carl Friedrich von Siemens Stiftung
A German private foundation that promotes science through interdisciplinary lectures, fellowships, publications, library support, conferences, and international academic exchange.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Carl Friedrich von Siemens Stiftung is a German private foundation devoted to the promotion of science and scholarly exchange. It was established in 1958 from the private assets of Ernst von Siemens, then a leading Siemens executive, and was named after his father, Carl Friedrich von Siemens, who had chaired the supervisory board of the Siemens group from 1919 to 1941. Although it carries the Siemens name, the foundation is a separate philanthropic and intellectual institution rather than a Siemens operating business or listed company. Its principal activities have included organizing interdisciplinary lecture series, hosting academic conferences and international symposia, supporting the circulation of scholarly literature, and maintaining contacts between German and foreign researchers. The foundation also publishes selected lectures and scholarly contributions, notably through the series Themen der Carl Friedrich von Siemens Stiftung. Since 1993 it has awarded Carl Friedrich von Siemens Fellowships intended to help outstanding scientists complete research projects. The institution's program has covered fields across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, with speakers including philosophers, historians, biologists, literary scholars, political theorists, and scientists. The foundation's public profile has also been shaped by periods of ideological controversy. Under Armin Mohler, who served as managing director from 1964 and chaired the foundation for many years from 1964 to 1985, it became an important venue for conservative and right-wing intellectual networks in postwar West Germany. A 1978 lecture series on the constitutional and legal theorist Carl Schmitt, whose association with Nazi Germany had left him academically and journalistically isolated, was later published as Der Ernstfall. The event and related publications were interpreted by critics as contributing to the rehabilitation of figures and themes associated with the New Right. In 1980, historian Ernst Nolte delivered a lecture at the foundation on historical myth and revisionism; its publication in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung helped initiate the German historians' dispute, or Historikerstreit. From 1985 to 2022, the foundation was managed by philosopher Heinrich Meier. During this period, its publicly described program emphasized scholarly lectures and publications, fellowships, support for university-library collections, conferences, and international collaboration. Leadership subsequently changed several times: literary scholar Marcel Lepper took over management in the summer semester of 2022, commercial manager Carola Schütt temporarily led the foundation from February 22, 2023, and Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen became managing director in October 2023. The foundation remains an active German platform for academic discussion and research support, while its earlier association with New Right intellectual history continues to form part of its public and scholarly legacy.
History
The Carl Friedrich von Siemens Stiftung was founded in 1958 by Ernst von Siemens using his private assets. Ernst von Siemens was chairman of the supervisory board of Siemens AG from 1956 to 1971. The foundation was named for his father, Carl Friedrich von Siemens, who had held the chairmanship of the Siemens group's supervisory board between 1919 and 1941. Its purpose was to promote science, and its activities developed around public lectures, scholarly publication, academic support, and intellectual exchange rather than commercial operations. A particularly consequential phase began in 1964, when the publicist and political intellectual Armin Mohler became managing director. Mohler used the institution extensively for political and intellectual events and was associated with the conservative and New Right milieu. He also chaired the foundation for many years, from 1964 to 1985. During this period the foundation hosted events and supported publications involving subjects and authors connected with the postwar conservative right. Critics, including scholars of right-wing extremism and the political commentator Peter Glotz, later characterized the institution under Mohler as a think tank or important meeting place of the New Right. One of the most controversial episodes was a 1978 series on Carl Schmitt, the German jurist and political theorist whose commitment to Nazi Germany had caused his isolation in academic and journalistic life after 1945. The lectures were subsequently published by Propyläen-Verlag as Der Ernstfall, the second volume in the foundation's publication series. The event was understood by critics as a tribute to Schmitt and as part of a wider effort to restore intellectual legitimacy to figures associated with the conservative right. Speakers included Knut Borchardt, Paul Carell, Hellmut Diwald, and Christian Meier. In 1980, historian Ernst Nolte presented a lecture at the foundation titled Zwischen Geschichtslegende und Revisionismus, concerning historical narratives and revisionism. When the lecture was published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, it helped set off the Historikerstreit, a major West German dispute about the interpretation of National Socialism, the Holocaust, and the relationship between Nazi crimes and other twentieth-century mass violence. The foundation's role in hosting the lecture gave it continuing significance in accounts of the intellectual history of the controversy. Heinrich Meier succeeded Mohler in 1985 and remained managing director until March 2022. Under Meier, the institution's stated activities emphasized interdisciplinary scientific lectures, publication of selected talks, support for scholarly literature in university libraries, fellowships, academic conferences, and international symposia. The Themen der Carl Friedrich von Siemens Stiftung series became a major vehicle for making lectures available in book form, with more than 40 volumes reported since 1985. The foundation also expanded and maintained a broad speaker network spanning philosophy, history, anthropology, literature, biology, physics, political theory, and the social sciences. Named speakers have included Jan Assmann, Ernst-Wolfgang Böckenförde, J. M. Coetzee, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Philippe Descola, Ronald Dworkin, Ágnes Heller, Jean-François Lyotard, Ernst Mayr, Ilya Prigogine, Martin Rees, Karl Schlögel, Wolf Singer, and Helen Vendler. The foundation established the Carl Friedrich von Siemens Fellowships in 1993. These awards support outstanding scientists in completing research and form part of the institution's broader role in strengthening scholarly work. Other activities include guest events, scientific meetings, and efforts to connect researchers from Germany with international colleagues. Leadership changed after Meier's departure. Marcel Lepper became managing director in the summer semester of 2022. Carola Schütt, who had previously managed commercial affairs, temporarily headed the foundation from February 22, 2023. Since October 2023, management has been led by Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen. The foundation continues to operate as a German science-promotion institution. Its identity therefore combines two historical strands: an ongoing program of academic fellowship, publication, and interdisciplinary exchange, and a contested earlier legacy as a venue for conservative and New Right intellectual debate.
- 2023
Leadership transition
[1]Carola Schütt temporarily managed the foundation from February 22, and Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen became managing director in October.
- 2022
Marcel Lepper takes over management
[1]Marcel Lepper became managing director during the summer semester following Heinrich Meier's departure.
- 1993
Carl Friedrich von Siemens Fellowships introduced
[1]The foundation began awarding fellowships to outstanding scientists to support completion of research projects.
- 1985
Heinrich Meier assumes management
[1]Heinrich Meier succeeded Armin Mohler and led the foundation until 2022, during a period focused strongly on interdisciplinary scholarship and scientific exchange.
- 1980
Ernst Nolte lecture and the historians' dispute
[1]Ernst Nolte delivered a lecture on historical legend and revisionism at the foundation. Its publication in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung contributed to the beginning of the Historikerstreit.
- 1978
Carl Schmitt lecture series
[1]The foundation hosted a lecture series on Carl Schmitt; the talks were later published as Der Ernstfall, the second volume in the foundation's publication series.
- 1964
Armin Mohler begins leadership
[1]Armin Mohler became managing director and later chaired the foundation, initiating a period in which it became an important venue for conservative intellectual events.
- 1958
Foundation established
[1]Ernst von Siemens established the foundation from his private assets to promote science and named it after his father, Carl Friedrich von Siemens.
Products and positioning
An independent German philanthropic foundation positioned as a cross-disciplinary forum for high-level scholarship, research support, publication, and international scientific exchange.
Research funding · 1993
Carl Friedrich von Siemens Fellowships
Fellowships introduced in 1993 to support outstanding scientists while they complete research work. They are a central expression of the foundation's science-promotion mission and complement its lecture, publication, and conference activities.
Scholarly publication series · 1985
Themen der Carl Friedrich von Siemens Stiftung
A book series presenting selected lectures and scholarly contributions associated with the foundation. More than 40 volumes have reportedly appeared since 1985, covering interdisciplinary topics in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
Academic events
Interdisciplinary lecture series
Public and scholarly lecture programs featuring individual speakers from a wide range of disciplines. The foundation uses these events to encourage discussion across disciplinary boundaries and often publishes selected contributions.
Academic events
Scientific conferences and international symposia
Guest events, scientific conferences, and international symposia designed to facilitate contact between German researchers and scholars from other countries.
Controversies
1980
Role in the Historikerstreit
Ernst Nolte's lecture at the foundation on historical legend and revisionism, later published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, helped initiate the historians' dispute over interpretations of National Socialism and the Holocaust. The episode reinforced criticism of the foundation's earlier ideological profile.
1978
Controversial Carl Schmitt lecture series
A foundation-organized series on Carl Schmitt was criticized because Schmitt's intellectual and political involvement with Nazi Germany had made him a controversial figure. The subsequent publication of the lectures was interpreted by critics as an attempt to honor or rehabilitate him and as evidence of the foundation's role in New Right intellectual networks.
Brand decisions
2022
Management transition after Heinrich MeierOtherBackground
Heinrich Meier's long tenure ended in March 2022.
Action taken
Marcel Lepper assumed management during the summer semester, followed by an interim period under Carola Schütt in 2023.
Aftermath
Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen became managing director in October 2023.
1993
Establish research fellowshipsStrategyBackground
The foundation sought to extend its science-promotion work beyond lectures and publications.
Action taken
It introduced the Carl Friedrich von Siemens Fellowships for outstanding scientists completing research.
Aftermath
The fellowships became a continuing component of the foundation's academic support program.
1985
Shift toward interdisciplinary scholarly programmingStrategyBackground
Heinrich Meier succeeded Armin Mohler after a period associated with conservative and New Right political-intellectual events.
Action taken
Under Meier, the foundation emphasized interdisciplinary lectures, scholarly publications, fellowships, library support, conferences, and international scientific contacts.
Aftermath
The institution developed a broader academic profile while retaining the historical controversy surrounding its earlier programming.
Recent events
- 2023
Carola Schütt assumes temporary management[1]
Leadership change
Carola Schütt, previously responsible for commercial management, temporarily led the foundation from February 22, 2023.
- 2023
Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen becomes managing director[1]
Leadership change
The foundation appointed Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen, a politician and administrative official, as managing director in October 2023.
- 2022
Marcel Lepper takes over management of the foundation[1]
Leadership change
Literary scholar Marcel Lepper succeeded Heinrich Meier as managing director during the summer semester of 2022.
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