Die Geschichte des Marburger Universitätsbundes 1920-1957

Since the end of World War I societies of supporters are existing at German universities. They have been founded with different terms and they are existing – with few exceptions - to this day. These early societies of supporters are part of the private sponsorship of science which developed in the second half of the 19th century and which became more and more important. This development reached its peak with the foundation of the Kaiser Wilhelm Society (today Max Panck Society) in 1910 and still today these societies of supporters are playing an important role in financing science and universities. The corresponding catchwords are “fund raising” or “alumni-associations”. To the societies of supporters established very early also belongs the so called “Marburger Universitätsbund” which was founded in December 1920 and which history is analysed in this doctoral thesis. The period of examination begins in the winter semester 1917/18 in which first considerations and plannings concerning the foundation of the future society of supporters took place and ends in 1957, when at the one hand the re-organization after World War II was completed and on the other hand a new generation joined the managing committee of the “Universitätsbund”. The aim of the dissertation is the detailed description of the history of the “Marburger Universitätsbund” against the background of private sponsorship of science and in the context of the history of the University of Marburg in the 20th century. Because the “Marburger Universitätsbund” played an important or sometimes decisive role in the history of the University of Marburg, this one cannot be valued without the consideration of the “Marburger Universitätsbund”. In this connection the dissertation has come to new findings, for example concerning the speech of the vice-chancellor Franz von Papen in 1934, which complement or refute the previous interpretation in the academic literature. Furthermore the influence and the effect of a society of supporters relating to its aims is examined for the example of the “Marburger Universitätsbund”. After an overview of the most important stages of development of the “Marburger Universitätsbund” its history is analysed during the Republic of Weimar, the National Socialism and the Post-War Time until 1957. In consideration of the self-image of the “Marburger Universitätsbund”, the examination sets up priorities in aspects of the political views of its managing committee and its members, for example their attitude towards the Republic of Weimar and the National Socialism and the coming to terms with their own past after 1945, as well as in single events the “Marburger Universitätsbund” played a decisive role in, like the two anniversaries of the University of Marburg in 1927 and 1952 or its support for the so-called “Marburger Schlossplan” since 1930. Consequently this doctoral thesis constitutes an important part for the entire description of the history of the University of Marburg in the 20th century. Simultaneously the dissertation shows by the example of the “Marburger Universitätsbund” the possibilities and limits concerning the rooms of manoeuvre for a society of supporters. These should consequently influence the actual discussion about private sponsorship of science and should form the basis for the expansion of “fund raising” or “alumni-activities”.