Dr. h. c. Edelgard Bulmahn, Chairwoman of the Board of Governors of Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin, former Federal Minister of Education and Research and former Vice-President of the German Bundestag, was honoured with the Max Planck Society's highest award on 24 June in Magdeburg. The Harnack Medal has only been awarded 36 times since 1924 for special services to science. The medal was presented to Edelgard Bulman by Max Planck President Patrick Cramer in the Millennium Tower in Magdeburg.
In her spokesperson, Bulmahn spoke about the importance of academic freedom, which is not a privilege but one of the cornerstones of a free democratic society. Academic freedom "is the foundation for critical reflection, for the generation of new knowledge, for medical progress, for sustainability, for overcoming the challenges of our time. The guarantee of academic freedom is part of the DNA of democratic states!"
With regard to the developments in the USA, Bulmahn spoke of an unprecedented war on science that is having an impact on the whole world. The clear and unambiguous positioning of German science organisations and leading representatives was important and encouraging. However, Bulmahn warned against viewing hostility towards science and the threat to academic freedom as purely American problems. She was also concerned about democracy in Germany and the freedom of science and research.