History of Europe

Reaching the goal through protest:40 years of the University of Oldenburg

The University of Oldenburg is to celebrate for a year - the 40th birthday of a university that has existed in its present form only through many past protests. The motto of the anniversary year:"40 years open to new paths". As early as the 1960s there were efforts in north-western Lower Saxony, above all in Oldenburg and Osnabrück, to set up universities. With the decree of the state government of March 1, 1971, the founding committee for the establishment of an Oldenburg University is appointed. The founding, in which mainly volunteers are involved, takes three years.

Protest prevent painful austerity measures

The tasks are enormous:degree courses have to be developed and set up, administration, technology, laboratories, libraries and more have to be planned and built. The founding committee had 15 members, all male, in 1971. Two years later, two women were also elected to the committee. His work is proving difficult - not least due to cutback decisions by the state government:promised jobs are being cut, construction work is being postponed. After massive protests, the savings are withdrawn.

By bike for expansion

In 1973 the first interim director was appointed, and Jürgen Lüthje became the first chancellor. The university will then be officially founded on December 5th. Rector Rainer Krüger had to announce just three years later that there would be no new buildings for the University of Oldenburg. The library, canteen and sports facilities are not yet in place at this point in time. The university is resisting:more than 1,600 students and teachers ride their bikes to Hanover to protest for four days against the expansion freeze. They demonstrate in front of the state parliament. Construction of the central area on Uhlhornsweg did not begin until 1980.

Fighting over a name

There is also massive trouble with the naming of the university. The name of the resistance fighter Carl von Ossietzky has many advocates, but the state government rejects it. Months of back and forth, including attaching and removing the lettering, began, accompanied by massive protests with police action. The then Prime Minister Gerhard Schröder (SPD) later apologized to the daughter of the namesake. The university is now called Carl von Ossietzky University.

Today:95 courses

The number of courses and students is increasing. While operations started in April 1974 with 2,507 students, today around 12,700 men and women are enrolled in 95 courses at the university.

Today, the University of Oldenburg offers 95 courses. (archive image)

The main research areas are computer science, acoustics and regenerative energy sources. Since the 2012/2013 winter semester, the University of Oldenburg has also been offering a degree in human medicine for the first time. The European Medical School works closely with the Rijksuniversiteit in Groningen, the Netherlands. In twelve semesters, the completion of a state examination should be achieved. The Dutch Master of Science entitles you to practice medicine in all countries of the European Union.