The Centers for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (GWZ)

The Geisteswissenschaftliche Zentren Berlin e.V. (GWZ) grew out of recommendations made by the German Council of Science and Humanities in both June 1991 and November 1994. As a result, in 1995 the Berlin State Senator for Science established the GWZ as an umbrella organization that includes three research centers:

• Leibniz-Zentrum Allgemeine Sprachwissenschaft (ZAS)
• Leibniz-Zentrum für Literatur- und Kulturforschung (ZfL)
• Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient (ZMO)

After four years of preparations as a pilot program funded by the Max Planck Society’s Development Fund for New Academic Projects, the three centers officially commenced operations on January 1, 1996, initially for a 12-year period. Continued funding was made possible by the German Council of Science and Humanities, committed to the expansion of interdisciplinary, internationally oriented research projects in the humanities, through its commendation of the Centers’ work in 2006. This support also helped the Centers obtain funding from the State of Berlin (starting in 2008), from the BMBF [Federal Ministry of Education and Research], which funds three research projects as part of the Centers’ expansion program, and from a number of individual grants from both national and international institutions. Based on a resolution of the Joint Science Conference (GWK), the centers were finally included into the joint research funding of the federal and state governments in 2017 (ZAS, ZMO) and 2019 (ZfL), respectively. Since then, the three centers have been part of the Leibniz Association.

Professor Dr. Eva Geulen, director of the ZfL (spokesperson of the board)
Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. Artemis Alexiadou, director of the ZAS
Professor Dr. Ulrike Freitag, director of the ZMO
Dr. André Lottmann, General Manager to the GWZ e.V.

The board of directors and the three centers share an administrative staff that provides a wide range of support for the researchers.

The Works Council, elected by the employees, represents the rights and interests of all employees towards the employer according to German law (Works Constitution Act). Representatives of the ZfL are Judith Lippelt, Georgia Lummert, Tobias Retz and Matthias Schwartz.

Geisteswissenschaftliche Zentren Berlin e.V.
Schützenstraße 18
10117 Berlin
Tel 49 (0)30/20192-130
Fax 49 (0)30/20192-120
Email
GWZ Website