german Anniversary Special german research 3 / 2018 Celebrating 50 Years of research CRCs Magazine of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft Cover: AG Krämer Arabidopsis halleri in the Giebelwald 3 / 2018 in the Siegerland region. Understand- ing the plant’s ability to store high amounts of heavy metals leads re- searchers to modern-day applications. Editorial Katja Becker Leading the Way, Setting the Pace 2 Collaborative Research Centres – Lasting impacts on a diversified research system

Stimulus for Research, Food for Thought 4 Celebrating a unique success story

In their own words … 6 CRC stakeholders share their thoughts and experiences

“More Important than Any Other Funding Instrument” 8 An interview with Indologist and long-serving CRC spokesperson Axel Michels

Did you know …? 10 Fact or fiction: Test your knowledge of the CRC programme

Humanities and Social Sciences Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger The Throw of the Dice 12 Random decision-making from a cultural-historical perspective

Life Sciences Ute Krämer The Plants that Suck Up Metal 18 Benefitting from the survival strategy of the Arabidopsis halleri

Engineering Sciences Christian Hatzfeld, Nataliya Koev, Roland Werthschützky From Hand to Heart 24 A new assistance system for cardiac cathertisations

Humanities and Social Sciences Péter Maitz and other authors Arabidopsis halleri: The Plants that Suck Up Metal | Collaborative Research Rediscovering a German Creole 28 Centres: Leading the Way, Setting the Pace | Randomness in Cultural History: Unserdeutsch – An almost forgotten language is examined for the first time The Throw of the Dice | Enhancing a Routine Procedure: From Hand to Heart | News Language Lessons from Unserdeutsch: Rediscovering a German Creole Leibniz Prizes 2019 34 National Research Data Infrastructure 35 2 KapitelobertitelEditorial german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 3

joint, interdisciplinary basis at the highest international became obvious. Finally, the transition in 2015 from level. At the same time, they help establish and refine local concentration to concentration at the applicant Katja Becker clearly defined core research areas at the host universi- university or universities facilitated the participation of ties. In this way, they provide a vital impetus for ongo- external partners, which has also had a positive effect. ing structural development, for example in structured These examples illustrate how, over the course of early career support or more equal opportunities with their history, Collaborative Research Centres have respect to career options. At a time when universi- served as sensors for change, leading the way and set- Leading the Way, ties are obligated to finance a growing proportion of ting the pace. Part of the reason for the programme’s their research through third-party funding, it is espe- success is the fact that it maintains characteristic fea- cially important to have a clearly defined profile and tures that today are taken for granted but are just as Setting the Pace a healthy competitive position. Preparing, establish- important as they were 50 years ago if not more: the ing, and coordinating a Collaborative Research Centre concentration of expertise in different disciplines in one is perfect “training” for universities as they seek to location, resulting in regular personal dialogue across DFG Collaborative Research Centres are structurally adapt and carve out a unique profile for all qualification levels – both planned and spontaneous. celebrating their 50th anniversary. How the future. Particularly in a time of web-based communication, this kind of dialogue often provides an important, even have they stimulated new directions he conditions are certainly right for Collabo- decisive, impetus for innovative research activities and in the German research system, and rative Research Centres to continue fulfilling approaches. their role and function in the research land- how will they continue to do scape in the years ahead. Indeed, in retrospect inally, it’s important to note that the funding pe- so? A look back at the future Tit is clear what a lasting impact they have had – and riod of up to twelve years, used flexibly and with continue to have – on a diversified research system. the right focus, enables researchers to engage In 1997, for example, the DFG introduced CRC in- with research questions and problems from a dependent junior research groups to enable early career Flonger-term and quality-focussed perspective. Given the researchers to gain leadership experience and prove ever-increasing pace of basic research, many applicants their abilities at an early stage in their careers. The regard this as an important benefit. The programme has Illustration: DFG / Schepp Emmy Noether Programme, launched in 1999, into never specified particular topics; researchers are free to which the CRC independent junior research groups design their own research programmes and the number n German, Collaborative Research Centres go by Over the years, these and other programmes have were later integrated, pursued the same goal. of individual projects within a CRC is more variable than the rather unwieldy name of Sonderforschungs- given rise to an extremely diverse research funding But a look back over the past 50 years also reveals is often supposed. bereiche (“special research areas”) – the meaning landscape. But when the first Collaborative Research many more achievements, including a better balance As to the question of what future standards will of which perhaps isn’t immediately obvious. To Centres were set up by the DFG 50 years ago, they were between family and research career, an area in which be set by CRC and how they will position themselves Iunderstand why this name was chosen, you need to largely isolated features in that landscape. In this, their Collaborative Research Centres set the bar high from in relation to other programmes such as Clusters of know something about the turbulent phase that science anniversary year – a key topic in this issue of the DFG an early stage. Many CRC also make research-gen- Excellence and international programmes, only time policy went through in the late 1960s and appreciate magazine and the focus of this editorial – we can see erated knowledge available to industry and society. will tell. But it is clear that the challenges involved something of the mood of those years. The emphasis how they have grown from a small seedling to a huge, Since 1996, for example, researchers have had the op- will not decrease. Recognising these and other future then was on emancipation and enlightenment, reject- widely branching tree. They have earned researchers tion of proposing transfer projects together with an issues early on will help ensure success and maintain ing everything with even the slightest whiff of elitism in Germany the envy of colleagues abroad. To continue application partner. Collaborative Research Centres the diversity of the German university landscape. left over from a legacy of tradition. Clusters of Excel- with the same metaphor, what role does this tree play also request and make good use of additional funding lence – as a concept and a reality – were still a long way in an ecosystem characterised by constant change? for exhibitions, schools labs, and other forms of science off, and the prestigious Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize Does it still have an important contribution to make, communication. Funding is also available to establish had not yet been established as a means of recognising or is it losing its ecological niche as a result of competi- an efficient, professional infrastructure for managing outstanding researchers. It would be another 40 years tion? And what are its future prospects? scientific data as an individual project within the CRC – Prof. Dr. Katja Becker before the European Research Council and its much Collaborative Research Centres offer highly quali- an option introduced over a decade ago, long before the is a Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Justus Liebig sought-after grants saw the light of day. fied researchers a chance to carry out research on a importance of networked research data management University Giessen and Vice President of the DFG.

“Collaborative Research Centres (CRCs, Sonderforschungsbereiche) are joint interdisciplinary research centres based at universities and other doctorate- granting higher education institutions. They promote research cooperation within the framework of interdisciplinary research programmes. Collaborative Research Centres enable researchers to pursue ambitious, elaborate and long-term projects by focusing and coordinating the resources of universities.” (From: “Guidelines Collaborative Research Centres Programme”, DFG form 50.06 – 07/18) 4 german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 5

began have created, supported or leveraged disciplinary and interdis- ciplinary research dynamics, with lasting impact. In this way, they have become indispensable “agents for major research at universities”. The insider perspective was fol- lowed by an outsider’s viewpoint from Prof. Dr. Klement Tockner, president of the Austrian Science Fund. Making reference to Aus- tria’s Special Research Programmes, he praised the achievements of the research groups in both Germany and Austria as the “backbone of European basic research”. Another insider perspective, this time from a decision-maker, was provided by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Leininger, a long-serving member of the Senate and Grants Commit- tee for CRCs. He reminded his au- dience of how combining expertise in directly and indirectly relevant disciplines has contributed to the “success model” of the CRC pro- gramme. The guests were then treated to an 11-minute film illustrating the importance of CRCs from the per- spective of science policy, research administration and researchers Stimulus for Research, themselves. He summed up by saying: “50 years of CRCs have Food for Thought given the country an unequalled stimulus.” 50 years of Collaborative Research Centres – a special celebration for a unique success story Finally, there was food for thought from cabaret artist and ell-chosen words are an im- Bad Godesberg in Bonn – delighted and praised its proven capacity for physics graduate Vince Ebert (be- W portant part of any celebra- the 220 guests by combining cele- productivity and flexibility from a low). As well as sharing some in- tion, but more than that is needed bration and appropriate words with structural perspective. This suc- sightful thoughts on big data, data to make an event successful and the showing of a specially produced cess story, said Strohschneider, is overload and AI, he expressed his ensure it is remembered for a long short film and lively entertainment due firstly to intelligent “adapta- conviction that human creativity, time afterwards. The special event from a cabaret artist. tion to research structure needs” based as it is on imagination and to mark the 50th anniversary of DFG President Prof. Dr. Peter and secondly to the complex empathy, cannot be surpassed by the Collaborative Research Centres Strohschneider (top right page) “inherent dynamics of the pro- machine intelligence. “That’s why programme, held on 22 November explained the role of the CRC gramme”. I’m a fan of science and research,” 2018 at La Redoute – a beautiful programme, established in 1968, He noted that the 1,000 CRCs said Ebert. What more needed to

18th-century ballroom venue in in Germany’s funding landscape approved since the programme be said? RU Illustrations: DFG / Danetzki 6 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaftgerman research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 7

In their own words …

PROF. DR. BARBARA BRÖKER, REVIEWER, GREIFSWALD PROF. DR. CLAUDIA VEIGEL, PROJECT LEADER The painstaking process of reviewing a PROF. DR. BIRGIT MENG, FEDERAL INSTITUTE IN CRC 863 IN MUNICH, WHO WORKED IN proposal for a Collaborative Research Cen- FOR MATERIALS RESEARCH AND TESTING, THE UK FROM 1995 UNTIL 2002 PROF. DR. CHRISTOPH PETERS, tre, which demands a lot from everyone MEMBER OF THE CRC GRANTS COMMITTEE SPOKESPERSON FOR CRC 850, Working abroad, you can only envy colleagues and involved, is itself a form of recognition of I am approaching my new role as “reporter” with FREIBURG early career researchers based in Germany, because the hard work put in by the participating a degree of awe. The different expectations of the in a CRC they have the opportunity to collaborate researchers. Both applicants and review- I’ve been working in Collaborative various parties involved (from applicants to DFG on interdisciplinary research at the highest level ers value these on-site evaluations, which Research Centres almost continu- bodies) entails a great deal of responsibility, com- and with easy, effective communication within the often serve as a forum for in-depth scien- ously since 1978, that’s 40 years – bined with an equal amount of trust, because group. tific discussion. This gives added value to and I’m still inspired by the possi- objectively evaluating and balancing all interests the review process. bilities it offers you as a researcher. is no small challenge. 0

DR. ANNEROSE BECK, STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR SAXONY, GRANTS COMMITTEE ON COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH CENTRES SFB The decision of the Grants Committee on Collabora- PROF. DR. KLAUS GERWERT, PROF. DR.-ING. KARL-ERNST WIRTH, tive Research Centres comes right at the end of the SPOKESPERSON FOR CRC 642, REVIEWER, ERLANGEN application process for a CRC. Serving as a state BOCHUM The CRC programme is the only (or at representative on such a committee is enjoyable and CRC 642 is a striking example of PROF. DR. ERNST SCHMACHTENBERG, interesting, but also difficult. Enjoyable because you least the best) environment that offers how the DFG enables excellent FORMER RECTOR OF RWTH AACHEN the complex and long-term framework can see how efficiently the self-administration of UNIVERSITY research at universities by estab- required for real, in-depth basic re- the German research system works, what exciting, lishing and supporting Collabo- innovative and relevant ideas are coming out of our CRCs are perhaps the most important for- search. rative Research Centres and thus mat for developing dialogue in research. universities and research institutions, but difficult contributes to structural change because not every proposal can be approved. within universities and their in- ternational visibility.

1968 1972 5 1973 1982 1992 1996

Where it all began: Collaborative Research Centres are A new statutory body: the The first CRC to be led Long-term but not perpetual support: in line with a After unification: the DFG gives Knowledge transfer: research- introduced on the recommendation of the German Coun- DFG Joint Committee appoints by a woman is approved recommendation by the German Council of Science the green light to four CRCs in the ers can now propose applied cil of Science and Humanities. The DFG-administered a Grants Committee for CRC (CRC 115). and Humanities, the Grants Committee limits the former East Germany (two in Jena, research projects with partners programme gets underway with 17 research groups. funding. funding duration to a maximum of 15 years. one in Halle and one in Greifswald). in industry. 50 Jahre Sonderforschungsbereiche 8 Kapitelobertitel german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 9

that are somewhat unconven- The CRC certainly wasn’t a direct “More Important than Any tional or don’t follow the main- precursor of the Cluster of Excel- Axel Michaels stream. And it also applies to CRCs lence, but it’s true that many of and their funding. the participating researchers are in- Born in 1949, Axel Michaels Other Funding Instrument” Quality, interdisciplinarity and in- volved in it. The key factor may be is a senior professor at Heidel­ ternational cooperation are all part the fact that they learned to work berg University and Vice Having served as the spokesperson for the CRC “Ritual Dynamics” for many years, of any CRC. But what about early as part of an interdisciplinary group. President of the Heidelberg Indologist Axel Michaels is well acquainted with the special characteristics of these career support and the success of Heidelberg has never had anything Academy of Sciences and Hu- groups – including CRC visits as a form of ritual in themselves. An interview measures in this area? like that in this scope in the humani- manities. Until 2016, he held I’m especially pleased about that ties before. The experience gained the Chair of Classical Indology german research: For many years, you first evidence and documentation phenomena “here in the west” that side of things. We kept statistics and the trust that was built were at the South Asia Institute. He headed the Cultural and Religious His- of rituals to the present day, and can be interpreted as rituals even if and found that nearly everyone helpful in approaching an initiative was the director of the Cluster tory department here at the South Asia over a large geographical area, from we aren’t aware of it. I’m not talk- who earned their doctorate or like this with energy and confidence. of Excellence “Asia and Europe Institute in Heidelberg. How important Europe to Asia and beyond. We’ve ing about Christmas, but things like worked as a postdoc in the CRC The CRC programme is now 50 years in a Global Context” and the is the institute to you and your work? Sunday breakfast, for example. moved on to a very good job, with old. What do you think will be the fu-

Michaels: For me it’s the ideal in- In 2010 you wrote a much-discussed arti- some of them becoming profes- ture importance of the funding line?

stitute in a unique environment, cle for the [German daily newspaper] FAZ sors. That’s extremely satisfactory. Putting on my visionary glasses

because it brings together classi- in which you presented the thesis that If you regard early career support and thinking ahead to the next 50 cal Indology and other research a CRC visit has all the hallmarks of as a particular sign of success, what years, I think it will remain more groups focusing on Asia – cov- a ritual: a formalised procedure, a other aspects of a CRC would you say important than any other funding

ering ethnology, geography, tendency to exaggerate, ritualised are especially valuable? instrument. CRCs were created as Illustration : Philipp Benjamin history and modern Indology. subtle demonstrations of power What is valuable is that we move a counterpoint to a high degree of

This permits an amazing ex- by the reviewers and DFG repre- away from thinking within the specialisation in individual disci- change of ideas. sentatives, and, if an application narrow limits of a single discipline. plines. This goes hand in hand with

Presumably the CRC “Ritual Dy- is successful, the transformation of This leads us to different research returning to key questions of prime namics”, for which you were the applicant to funding recipient. Was questions, questions that cross importance to scholarship, basic spokesperson for 11 years, benefited this based on your own experience? disciplines, that might not have questions that are crucial to human- greatly from that. How would you Yes, these visits do tend to have arisen within an individual subject ity and the way we perceive our- sum up the achievements of the research? the character of ritualised meet- area. It also results in collabora- selves and our place in the world.

Il dt Over time, we’ve been able to show lustr chei ings of sovereigns. There is perhaps tion between larger and smaller If you could write a congratulatory ation: DFG / Lichtens and communicate that rituals aren’t room to consider whether the cur- disciplines with their respective message to the CRC programme, what spokesperson for Collaborative what people tend to think they are, found confirmation of our assump- rent DFG arrangements, associated methodologies. Bringing these would it be? Research Centre 619, “Ritual which is rigid stereotypes. They are tion throughout the centuries and with this highly structured proce- together ultimately adds tremen- First of all, congratulations! Collab- Dynamics” (2002 – 2013), dynamic events that continuously across different regions. dure, need to be that way. dous value for everyone involved. orative Research Centres are won- which attracted considerable change and evolve. These dynam- What is surprising to read in publica- You finished your article by saying: And the downside? derful institutions which I have al- attention beyond academic ics are found in various domains tions of the CRC is the fact that there Competition – yes, incentive systems – Sometimes the individual has ways publicly advocated for. I wish circles; for many years he also – there is a social, a historical and are more rituals in modern times than yes; but please, not too many evalua- to make an extra effort to make the CRCs a long and successful fu- served on the DFG review a psychological dynamic. Scholars there were in the past. Why is that? tions. What is the situation like today? themselves clearly understood. ture – and for the DFG I wish that board for ethnology, religious in many fields are now thinking in Yes, indeed. When you hear the There have been attempts to im- Occasionally this can be to the the open form of self-administered studies and non-European terms of dynamics like this. word “ritual”, you tend to think prove things, but unfortunately not detriment of scholarly precision. scholarship that it embodies will cultures. His main interests are It sounds as though a new research of religious rituals and you think very successfully. Today, we spend a Heidelberg is home to the Cluster of continue to thrive and have an im- the cultural history of Nepal, paradigm has emerged? of other cultures, especially those lot of our time on evaluations and re- Excellence “Asia and Europe in a pact for a long time to come, includ- ritual research, the social and Yes, absolutely. This was actually in the past. But when you take a views. We still aren’t really extended Global Context”. Is this the natural ing dynamics of change. legal history of Hinduism, and the hypothesis we first started with closer look and define “ritual” more that extra measure of trust. The same continuation of a CRC with other Interview by Dr. Rembert Unterstell ethno-indological studies. – over a large span of time, from the broadly, you find that there are also goes for the review of publications resources? in Heidelberg.

1997 1999 2002 2003 2005 2006

New CRC independent junior research Introduction of the CRC/Transregio The funding period for Financial resources: CRC 638 “Dynamics of Bringing science to the public: the Integrated Research Training Groups groups allow early career researchers work- variation: the DFG paves the way Collaborative Research Macromolecular Complexes in Biosynthetic first individual project is approved – are introduced, drawing on a wealth ing independently to receive employment for joint CRC proposals by multiple Centres is extended from Transport” becomes the first CRC to be an exhibition on “Ritual[s] in Ancient of experience from the Research and project funding for up to five years. universities. three to four years. awarded €10 million in funding. Europe”. Training Groups funding programme. 10 german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 11

Is it the case that CRCs CRC funding in facts and figures decided on by the Grants Committee at its May meet- Is it true that every ing have better chances of CRC requires an in- Did you know …? being approved than those tegrated Research discussed at the November Training Group? meeting? Assumptions and uncertain facts are everywhere, often passed on from one person to another without much thought. Sometimes they bear little relation to a complex reality. This can also be true of CRC funding, in some scientific communities more than others, with often more assumptions than actual facts. The editors invite you to put your knowledge of CRC fund- ing to the test with a fun quiz. Can you tell fact from fiction? You’ll find the answers and further information on page 36. 5

Is it true that 6 some CRCs have Is it true that the annual budget more than 40 pro- Is it true that all draft of a CRC, excluding the pro- Is it correct that ject leaders? proposals given an gramme allowance for indirect more than 1,000 “A” rating in the con- project costs, must be between CRCs have been sultation are later es- €2 million and €2.5 million? established since tablished as a CRC or 1968? 1 2TRR? 7 8 Is it correct that there are also Is it correct that there CRCs with less than 10 indivi­ are more funded CRCs dual projects? in the life sciences Is it correct that the total than in any other dis- Do statistics confirm number of publications by cipline? that at least one CRC is all members of a group is currently (2018) being an important criterion funded in all 16 of Ger- for success in the review many’s federal states? 3 process? 9 2007 2008 4 2009 2011 102015 Introduction of a programme Approval of an equal oppor- Structural sustainability: The move to make DFG fund- The requirement of local concen- allowance for indirect project tunity allowance: CRCs can the first CRC to include an ing programmes modular is tration is replaced by a require- costs, initially 20 percent and request a fixed allowance of information infrastructure implemented for Collaborative ment of bundling expertise at the now 22 percent for all CRCs. €30,000 per year. project. Research Centres. applicant university/universities. 12 Humanities and Social Sciences german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 13

Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger The Throw of the Dice

In early modern Europe, many things were decided by casting lots – from the distribution of assets to punishments and even elections to public office. When understood as a communicative process and a symbolic practice of a particular time, this method of decision-making also forms part of the mosaic of political cultural history. “Spectacles of Power” exhibition catalogue, Darmstadt, 2008, p. 81 /

Tally stick (manina) and election balls (ballotte), Venice, 1789. Illustration: Heeke 14 Humanities and Social Sciences german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 15

hen the trial of the suspects Deciding things by lot, however, parties or options, and may therefore he art of decision-making has a W in the NSU murders case means placing matters in the hands serve as an instrument of democratic T history of its own. If we under- began in Munich in May 2013, the of chance. It relieves us of the bur- participation. In recent times, some stand decision-making not simply as limited spaces for journalists were dens of deliberation, consultation, political theorists have therefore an internal mental process but as a allocated by lottery – with the result negotiation and compromise, but been calling for the establishment of communicative, social occurrence, that the major newspapers Frank- also of personal influence and con- bodies made up of randomly selected then it becomes possible to describe furter Allgemeine Zeitung and Süd- stellations of power. When the dice citizens who would be directly in- historic “cultures of decision-mak- deutsche Zeitung lost out, while wom- decide the outcome, all options are volved in the political decision-mak- ing”, according to what a particu- en’s magazine Brigitte and Munich’s equal; the dice are completely im- ing process, in a bid to counter the lar society considers capable of and weekly local Hallo München! secured partial. The act of casting lots epito- loss of legitimacy of parliamentary in need of being decided, and how some of the sought-after places. The mises that which we cannot control. processes and political elites. Even decisions are reached – or indeed use of a random selection process But as irrational as the principle research funding organisations have avoided. It is by no means always treated all candidates equally, which of randomness might appear at first recently been contemplating the in- the case that social action is framed, was considered scandalous given glance, in some situations it can in clusion of random elements in their modelled, perceived and represented that the different media competing fact be a rational choice – namely decision processes – although the as an action of decision-making. for spaces in court were clearly un- when the available options are in German Research Foundation is not Making a decision means explicitly equally qualified for the task. The fact completely equal or, conversely, currently considering such an op- distilling a limited number of pos- result was a public outcry: was it are not comparable. Alternatively, it tion. Proposals to place decisions of sible actions from an endless sea of right to allow such an important may be appropriate when there is great importance on a random basis possibilities and, again explicitly, opt- decision to be decided at random? an unmanageable number of com- are generally rejected as being frivo- ing for just one of them. The reasons for such objections peting criteria as to the “right” de- lous and not intended seriously. But At various times, people have

are obvious. Generally speaking, cision, when there is insufficient this raises the question of why this dealt with this specific form of ac- Foto: Hüskes we assume that decisions should time available, or when the costs should be so – because it has not al- tion in very different ways. In our be based on rational deliberation, of establishing the best option are ways been the case. In earlier times, research project, we are investigat-

weighing up reasons and establish- disproportionately high – in short, people made use of the throw of the ing exactly how. Historically, mak- Wiki Commons / ing what is true, good and right. We when it is more important to reach dice much more often than they do ing a decision has, if anything, been prefer to plan and manage things a decision quickly than it is to reach today. Does a willingness to cast lots the less likely scenario because it rationally, and have a degree of the “right” one. The use of lots also say something about the society in always represents an imposition. certainty about our expectations. creates equality between competing question? And if so, what? After all, one could always arrive at a different decision instead, and Two soldiers, on the right below the gallows, dice for their lives; Jacques Callot, “La pendaison / The Hanging”, Paris, 1633. the correctness of the choice made is never guaranteed at the point when the decision is made. This raises questions of legitimacy, gives rise to responsibilities, and brings the possibility of loss of face. For

these reasons, people have shown Motive: The Manner and Use of the Ballot, unknown artist a preference for avoiding decisions. Election by lot in James Harrington’s utopian “Commonwealth of Oceana”, 1656. Casting lots provides a possible answer to these impositions by lo- solve and at which point in a process the sortilegium, the process of divi- cating the decision at a level which the element of chance is used. nation by lots, had been expressly Wiki Commons / is inaccessible to the participants, In early modern Europe, the prohibited under Roman church who thereby cede their own capac- process of casting lots was used law since the 13th century. It was ity for action – albeit only within the for a whole array of purposes and regarded as a sinful, indeed magical framework allowed to chance. In the with different procedures. In most practice, an attempt to compel God words of B. Goodwin, casting lots is cases, contrary to what one might to reveal something that he had not an instance of “organised chance”. assume, it was not about determin- of himself chosen to reveal to hu- Much depends on the question that ing the divine will in order to reach man reason. Casting lots was only

Motive: La pendaison, Jacques Callot random chance is intended to re- the one correct decision. In fact, permitted in the context of purely 16 Humanities and Social Sciences german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 17

pragmatic human agreement and in decision-making was especially when it left God out of things. Of marked, as decisions expose dissent course, this does not mean that peo- clearly to view. The fact that early ple did not still believe in some kind modern cities so often made use of of supernatural involvement when lotteries in their complex election lots were cast, but this was not the procedures would therefore appear primary focus of the process. to be characteristic of their specific Lots were cast, for example, to culture of decision-making. decide the distribution of assets or unpleasant duties. Which of multi- owever, during the course of the ple heirs with equally valid claims H18th century the use of chance should inherit which piece of land? as an aid to decision-making was

Which doctor should be sent to min- “Spectacles of Power” exhibition catalogue, Darmstadt, 2008, p. 81 regarded with growing unease. One / ister to the sick during an outbreak noted jurist remarked that it was of plague? Which soldier should “a kind of ignominy and indignity be executed pars pro toto when the when such an aid is made neces- whole troop had refused to obey or- Illustration: Heeke sary by the laws and constitution ders? Most commonly, casting lots Election instruments from Basel, used to fill public offices by lot, 17th/18th century. of a state”. After all, how encrusted formed part of the procedure for and corrupt must a society be if it choosing who should hold public where lots were cast equally be- structures and combat corruption. It rejected rational deliberation and in- office. Ancient Athens and the me- tween all citizens. There were nu- was hoped that this would restore stead resorted to the caprices of blind dieval city-states of Venice and Flor- merous variations on the process, political stability – from which the chance? Casting lots now seemed ence are the most famous, but by no sometimes of bewildering complex- old established elites stood to ben- like a declaration of bankruptcy on means the only, examples of places ity. Typically, electors were chosen efit the most. The use of lots was the part of rational decision-making. where this happened. The method from an existing body by casting lots intended to achieve this because it The greater the confidence in the ra- was also used in Osnabrück, Mün- and these individuals then nomi- had at least three effects. Firstly, it tionality of human action, the more ster, Minden and Unna in Germany; nated candidates among whom lots made it impossible to work out who frivolous the use of a lottery ap- in Utrecht, Rotterdam and Deventer were again cast. For example, the would ultimately be entitled to vote, peared. It is therefore no coincidence in the Netherlands; in Bern, Basel election regulations in the city of thus frustrating any attempts at col- that today, when this confidence is and Geneva in Switzerland; and in Münster in 1721 required council- lusion or vote purchasing. Secondly, increasingly being shaken, it is once the larger German cities of Bremen, lors to choose, by lot, fiveQuartier ­ it involved more people in the pro- again being so much discussed. Hamburg and Frankfurt am Main. vorsteher from among them. Each cess as potential electors, thus en- But casting lots was not, as Aristo- of these men chose eight electors, hancing the legitimacy of the out-

/ Sailko / tle once supposed, a sign of demo- known as Kurgenossen; these 40 men come. After all, a person involved cratic equality. The deliberate use drew lots to choose ten from among in the process would be less likely of randomness did not mean that them; these ten chose another 20 to contest the outcome later. Fi- Wiki Commons

/ the process was entirely free from Kurgenossen; these 20 men chose by nally, casting lots protected the par- the influence and control of the lot another ten, and these ten finally ticipants from losing face and pre- Grewer elite. Everything depended on the elected the new council. Why such served their honour – in those times Illustration: WWU Münster specific framing of the event, which a complicated procedure? one of the most valued assets and Prof. Dr. Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger determined the degree to which the It is notable that such random one of those most likely to gener- has held the chair of Early Modern History at the University of Münster since 1997, process could be controlled. elements were normally introduced ate conflict. Conflicts could escalate received the DFG’s Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz during times of crisis, when a city’s easily, because early modern cities Prize in 2005, and became rector of the he annual elections of mayors elite was torn by internal partisan- possessed only a small amount of Wissenschaftskolleg – Berlin Institute for T and councillors in premod- ship and its legitimacy called into executive power. As a result, there Advanced Study in September 2018.

Motive: Crucifixion, Lucas Cranach der Ältere ern cities were, essentially, nearly question by the common citizenry. were continual strenuous efforts Contact: Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, always based on rotation and co- The randomness principle was in- to achieve an impression of har- Wallotstr. 19, 14193 Berlin, Germany At Calvary outside the gates of Jerusalem: soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ garment (detail option within a defined circle of tended to eliminate the influence of mony and consensus. In a situation lower right); Lucas Cranach the Elder, “Crucifixion”, 1538. council families, not free elections internal partisanship and patronage like this, the imposition involved www.uni-muenster.de/SFB1150/en 18 Life Sciences german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 19

Ute Krämer The Plants that Suck Up Metal

Contamination with heavy metals can threaten entire ecosystems. The plant Arabidopsis halleri has developed an amazing survival strategy. Scientists are now examining how the insights gained through this research can be applied in the biological remediation of soil and water.

ark spruces, lush green thaliana) in the Brassicaceae fam- D beeches, and a forest path ily, which is regarded as the perfect lined with ferns, foxgloves and model plant for genetic research, mosses. For nature lovers, a walk researchers can understand rela- through the woods in summer is a tionships between the genetic in- delight. The vast natural diversity of formation and the plant’s capabili- the plants around us always offers ties at the molecular level and thus new things to discover. But what is contribute to our general under- less apparent, at least at first glance, standing of processes of evolution- is the wide variety of internal, ary adaptation. However, because physiological skills of plants that the model plant thale cress cannot constitute powerful adaptations to survive in this type of hostile envi- the environment. One impressive ronment, it makes sense to study a example of this is plants which, closely related species, Arabidopsis over the course of evolution, have halleri, which grows naturally on adapted to extremely hostile condi- heavy metal-contaminated soils. tions. Areas affected by such condi- Plants like this, with tolerance to tions can be recognised through a heavy metals, could one day help noticeable sparseness of vegetation. in the re-vegetation or even the Those few plants which do manage clean-up of polluted soil – a grow- to survive deserve a closer look – ing discipline of applied research because their abilities are extraor- over the past 30 years. The abil- dinary. ity of some of these plants to ac- For example, how do plants sur- cumulate particularly high levels vive in soils containing high lev- of heavy metals in their leaves els of pollutant heavy metals? By could also potentially serve in the studying the thale cress (Arabidopsis extraction of useful metals from the earth, a technique known as phytomining. Doesn’t mind wet feet in nature – All organisms require small Arabidopsis halleri in a small stream in amounts of some heavy metals as the Giebelwald near Niederfischbach essential nutrients, including zinc, Illustration: AG Krämer

Foto: AG Krämer (Siegerland). copper and nickel. By contrast, 20 Life Sciences german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 21

several chemically similar heavy metals, such as cadmium, lead and mercury, have no general nu- trient function. All these metals are closely associ- ated with advancements in technology. Since the dawn of the industrial age, soil and water have been polluted with these and other metals at an accel- erating rate through mining, smelting, processing and waste disposal. Acutely toxic concentrations of bioavailable heavy metals can be life-threatening to plants, animals and humans. Even far lower con- centrations, however, cause long-term damage to ecosystems and human health. In the organs of humans, who are long-living organisms at the end of the food chain, heavy metals can accumulate gradually over time to reach harmful concentra- tions. This can cause cancer and has been shown to increase the risk of other diseases such as os- teoporosis and kidney disorders in the European population (in the case of cadmium). The toxicity of soils with severe heavy metal pol- lution, usually in proximity to mining waste or slag heaps, kills off most life. But in a few organisms, processes of random mutation and high selective pressure have given rise to genetically based adap- tations that enable plants to survive. We expect to find that the genomes of these plants contain very Illustration: Hagemann specific information, a kind of construction manual, for how to tweak a complex molecular machinery In the lab, metal concentrations are measured using inductively coupled optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). to enable each individual plant cell to survive, and the whole plant to reproduce, under these excep- metal tolerance at the biochemi- etable plants rapeseed, cauliflower 200 plant species is a heavy metal tionally challenging conditions. cal level have been identified and and rocket, comprises a number hyperaccumulator. Compared with In the 1960s and 1970s, the vegetation grow- linked to the causal alterations in of heavy metal-tolerant plants. A the avoidance strategy of exclud- ing at heavy metal-polluted sites was catalogued the genetic information. rare and, at first glance, astonishing ing metals from above-ground in detail. At the same time, the plants’ tolerance One important finding was that strategy of heavy metal tolerance plant tissues, hyperaccumulation to heavy metals and their ability to pass on this all plants – indeed all organisms – occurs particularly frequently in is a very rare tolerance strategy. It trait to the next generation was tested experimen- have a small tolerance, known as this family: the strategy known as is likely that hyperaccumulation tally. To do this, researchers compared plants with basal tolerance, to heavy metals. heavy metal hyperaccumulation. helps plants to defend themselves heavy metal tolerance and their close relatives This enables them to acclimate against biological enemies, for ex- that lacked such tolerance. They analysed what dynamically to small amounts of etal hyperaccumulators are ample plant-eating insects. amounts of heavy metals were stored and where heavy metals in the environment. M plant species that store very There is enormous scientific in the plant tissue. This research laid the ground- Researchers achieved ground- high amounts of heavy metals, such interest in these plants, because work for the models we have today of heavy metal breaking new insights into mo- as nickel, zinc or cadmium, in their hyperaccumulation requires toler- tolerance in plants. Over the past 20 years, some lecular genetics by studying the above-ground organs. The concen- ance to heavy metals inside the or- of the molecular functions responsible for heavy classic model plant thale cress. In trations reached in the leaves are ganism – an extremely demanding a similar way, promising experi- two or more orders of magnitude biological capability. As luck would mental approaches then began higher than the concentrations have it, there are several heavy Top: Arabidopsis halleri in the greenhouse. Second from by studying close relatives of this in “normal” plants, which makes metal hyperaccumulators among top: Pollinating a plant. Below: Taking samples for RNA plant. The Brassicaceae plant fam- them startlingly high. Current data the close relatives of thale cress.

Illustrations: Hagemann analysis. ily, which includes the oil and veg- suggest that approximately one in Because this makes the molecular 22 Life Sciences german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 23 Illustration: AG Krämer

Fieldwork against an Alpine backdrop: Arabidopsis halleri growing in meadows at Poschiavo in the Swiss canton of Grisons.

and genetic study of heavy metal larger amount of the proteins that of all the functional changes acting hyperaccumulation far easier, these catalyse the biosynthesis of the together in extreme heavy metal plants have given rise to almost all organic molecules acting as bind- tolerance. This could have long- our current knowledge on this re- ing partners for heavy metals in- term benefits for plant breeding, the markable and rare behaviour of side the plants. The latter results biological clean-up of polluted soils plants. in higher synthesis rates and ul- and phytomining. At present, we can say that the timately larger amounts of heavy rare extreme heavy metal toler- metal-binding molecules. ance found in hyperaccumulator plants is based on a sequence of ut how do heavy metal-tolerant controlled and regulated processes B plants manage to produce in- of protein-mediated transport of creased amounts of these proteins? metal cations across biological At the moment, we have only a membranes in combination with tentative answer. The number of metal binding to specialised mol- copies of the corresponding genes Prof. Dr. Ute Krämer ecules inside plant cells. This oper- in the genetic information is con- leads the Department of Molecular Genetics and Physiology of Plants at Ruhr-Universität ates in a manner similar to basal spicuously enhanced. There are also Bochum. She has recently been awarded an metal tolerance observed in all mutations in the immediately adja- Advanced Grant by the European Research plants. But heavy metal-tolerant cent regions of these genes, which Council. plants differ in that they have cause each gene copy individually Contact: Fakultät für Biologie und Biotech- much larger amounts of some to be read more frequently. Further nologie der Universität Bochum, Lehrstuhl für Molekulargenetik und Physiologie der membrane transport proteins, studies will help us to understand Pflanzen, Universitätsstraße 150, which has the effect of increas- the underlying molecular processes 44801 Bochum, Germany ing transport capacity for specific in more detail. In addition, future www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/mgpp/

Arabidopsis halleri in a culture vessel. Illustration: Hagemann heavy metals. Added to this is a research will provide a fuller picture Seiten_en/index_e.html 24 Engineering Sciences german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 25

Christian Hatzfeld, Nataliya Koev, Roland Werthschützky Left: Cardiac catheterization being per- formed at a hospital in Iserlohn. Right: The newly developed assistance system From Hand to Heart with control unit, user interface, control monitor, and model of a blood vessel. A cardiac catheterization may be a routine procedure, but it is still associated with a The monitor is not required during the degree of risk. Engineers have now developed an assistance system that allows the procedure. Below: Schematic diagram of the guide wire. guide wire to be navigated more easily and accurately thanks to a miniaturised force sensor and that provides haptic feedback to the cardiologist. it is often necessary to perform a cardiac catheterization. In many cases, the problem is a narrowed blood vessel that needs to be wid- ened to reduce the risk of serious consequences. Catheterizations of this type are now a standard intervention: ac- cording to Deutsche Herzstiftung

(the German Heart Foundation), Illustration: Carsten Neupert over 1.1 million such procedures are carried out in Germany every able practice to follow the com- he project “Haptic Assistance year. A thin guide wire is inserted plex, three-dimensional blood T System for Cardiac Catheteri- into a blood vessel in the groin or vessel pathways in the two-di- zations” (HapCath) adopts a new wrist and passed up to the heart. mensional X-ray images. Friction approach in response to the ques- As a guide, the cardiologist uses can easily cause the cardiologist tion: How can the cardiologist be X-ray images on which the guide to lose the feel for the force with provided with additional informa- wire and blood vessels can be seen which the wire is being guided tion during the procedure and a feel using a contrast agent. The wire through the vascular system. In for what is going on at the tip of the is navigated to the narrowed area rare cases, this can even result in guide wire? This information could by rotating and pushing using a perforation of the vessel wall by help prevent dangerous situations special handheld tool known as a the wire. such as perforation of the blood torquer. Once the required loca- To reduce this risk there are spe- vessel wall. It also allows the cardi- tion is reached, the catheter itself cial training programmes for inter- ologist to navigate more easily, be- can be threaded over the guide ventional cardiologists, for exam- cause branching vessels and depos-

Illustration: dpa / Klaus Rose wire to treat the narrowed blood ple at the Interdisciplinary Training its can be sensed. This could shorten vessel. The constriction is fre- and Simulation Centre (intus) at treatment times as well as reducing onsider this familiar scenario. and watch TV – or while away the can build up in the blood vessels quently widened with a balloon the university hospital in Würz- radiation exposure for both patient C On the way to work, you stop evening surfing the web with your – with potentially serious results. and then mechanically stabilised burg. Here, cardiologists can carry and cardiologist. The same applies off for a quick bite at the bakery or tablet or smartphone. In today’s Combined with other medical risk with a supporting wire-mesh tube out practice procedures on simula- to the contrast agent which the pa- grab a coffee to drink on the bus stressful world, this is increasingly factors, the result can be a heart called a stent. tors and models and get a feel for tient is given during the procedure or train. In the evening, instead of typical. But when stress and lack attack. When a patient is experi- Navigating the guide wire to the catheterization process. During for imaging purposes. getting some exercise in the garden of physical activity are the norm encing warning signals such as a the narrowed point is by no means a real intervention, they can then To construct such a system, the or at the gym, you relax on the sofa over an extended period, deposits feeling of tightness or chest pain, straightforward: it takes consider- draw on experience. contact forces between the guide

Illustration: FG Mess- und Sensortechnik / TU Darmstadt 26 Engineering Sciences german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 27

the forces in the vascular system, Unwavering: measuring the rigidity of University of Würzburg, sees new the team has developed a min- a guide wire tip. possibilities in simulation training iaturised force sensor which is for cardiologists. integrated in the tip of the guide The assistance system therefore wire. The sensor comprises a piece At the tip of the guide wire is offers opportunities at multiple of silicon with areas that change a tungsten spring which is opaque levels to make catheter interven- their electrical resistance when to X-rays, making it easily visible tions safer for patients and car- the sensor encounters mechani- in the X-ray image. Standardised diologists alike. Easy integration cal load. The change in resist- tests have shown that this wire has in treatment routines allows the ance is evaluated to calculate the similar dimensions and mechani- technology to be used in response force being experienced by the cal properties to the kind of wires to requirements in complex inter- sensor. The sensor is designed to typically used in cardiology. ventions, thus helping to ensure compensate as far as possible for To process and display the the success of the procedure. But undesired effects, for example measured forces, the control unit of course, healthy outcomes could caused by changes in the ambi- filters and amplifies them and also be achieved without the need ent temperature. With the aid feeds them back to the wire via for surgery – with a healthy diet, of special manufacturing tech- the user interface. This consists regular exercise and a better life- nologies as used in the produc- of a motor which transmits the work balance. tion of microchips, it is possible signals as feedback force to the to construct a sensor measuring guide wire, clamped in a roller just 200×200×800 µm³, making system. The guide wire trans- this sensor currently the smallest mits the forces via the torquer to Illustration: Nataliya Koev force sensor in the world. Illustration: Nataliya Koev the cardiologist’s fingertips. For It is connected to four wires safety reasons, the roller system wire and vascular system inside dimensions. For several years, the that provide power and signal iron but also a very steady hand. is designed to allow only a certain the patient’s body must be meas- DFG has been funding the de- transmission. As these need to Now equipped with an electrical maximum force to be applied and ured and this information made velopment of just such a system, be housed inside the guide wire, contact, the sensor is integrated minimal influence on the rotation available to the cardiologist. The which is now culminating in a coated copper wires with a diam- into the guide wire. of the torquer. associated technical challenges are transfer project. eter of 25 µm are used – about half The guide wire must have high Also for reasons of safety, the immense. The system needs to be The system consists of three the thickness of a human hair. To torsional rigidity and be able to HapCath system uses a special integrated as seamlessly and flex- components: the guide wire, a attach the sensor the wires are transfer rotational motion at the torquer with extra sensors: an ibly as possible into the treatment force sensor at the tip of the wire, soldered, a manual step that re- end as directly as possible to the additional force sensor monitors process. This means that all new and a control unit. To measure quires not just a small soldering tip. The wire tip must bend eas- whether the cardiologist is shown functions must be incorporated in ily so it can be guided through the force actually required. An Dr.-Ing. Christian Hatzfeld existing components, which poses tight bends in a blood vessel, but integrated contact sensor ensures leads the Haptic Systems Team in the Meas- urement and Sensor Technology Group at a major challenge in miniaturisa- also stable enough that it will not that haptic feedback is only ac- TU Darmstadt. tion. A guide wire is typically just break. tive when the torquer is securely Nataliya Koev, MSc 360 µm in diameter and up to 2 The design of the HapCath guide gripped in the hand. is a research assistant in the HapCath project metres long. This makes it diffi- wire takes all these requirements in the Measurement and Sensor Technology cult to use established manufac- into account. For safety and sta- o test the system, TU Darmstadt Group. turing techniques, which are not bility it has a high-strength elastic is collaborating with clinical Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Roland Werthschützky T led, until his retirement, the Measurement designed for such a difference in stainless steel core. Around this partners who are assessing its us- and Sensor Technology Group and is the are wrapped the copper wires of ability and integrability in everyday project leader for HapCath. the sensor, which are protected at practice in the cardiac catheteriza- Contact: Technische Universität Darmstadt, Top: Force sensor for the guide wire tip, the rear end of the wire by an ad- tion lab. Other applications using Fachgebiet Mess- und Sensortechnik, Merckstr. 25, 64283 Darmstadt, shown here on a test board. Right: The ditional tube. At the front end, a individual components are also Germany handheld tool, known as a torquer, with biocompatible coating protects the being investigated. For example, www.emk.tu-darmstadt.de/must/ integrated force sensor, shown with a wires and sensor and reduces fric- Prof. Dr. Wolfram Voelker, head forschung/projekte/hapcath- conventional model for comparison. tion inside the blood vessel. of the intus training centre at the haptisches-katheter Illustration: Carsten Neupert 28 Humanities and Social Sciences german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 29

Péter Maitz and other authors* earning about the language was to discover the language spoken by baul Creole German, developed L a matter of pure chance. In the its people. around a Catholic mission at Vu- late 1970s, a young high school His interviews there formed the napope, today part of the town of Rediscovering teacher, Craig Volker, was teaching basis for his master’s dissertation, Kokopo, near Rabaul in the north- German on the Queensland Gold as yet unpublished. They described eastern part of New Britain. This is- Coast, in Australia. In his class, for the first time the main features land, which in the German era be- a German Creole there was a Melanesian student of the newly discovered language. tween 1884 and 1914 was known whose family had come from Papua But for thirty years, Germanists as Neupommern (“New Pomera- „Unserdeutsch“, a creole spoken in a former German South Pacific colony, and what New Guinea. She seemed to speak showed virtually no interest in this nia”), is the largest in the Bismarck is now Papua New Guinea, is being extensively documented and studied by linguists for a strange-sounding kind of Ger- linguistic heritage of the German man. His curiosity was piqued and colonial era. the first time. There is no time to lose, because after a chequered history the world’s steadily grew. He travelled to Ra- Briefly, its history is as follows. Unserdeutsch speakers in Brisbane, only German-based creole – long ignored – is facing extinction. baul in the Bismarck Archipelago Unserdeutsch, also known as Ra- Australia, 2016. Illustration: Péter Maitz 30 Humanities and Social Sciences german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 31

Archipelago and is now part of They were brought to the orphan- of just 7.6 million people. As a re- Papua New Guinea. The Mission- age, founded in 1897, at as young sult, the children brought to Vu- aries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in an age as possible. At a later age, napope had different linguistic Vunapope came from Hiltrup, near as Missionary Arnold Janssen backgrounds. The only thing they Münster in Westphalia. (1869 –1938) lamented, in a man- had in common was Tok Pisin, an The missionaries’ efforts to ner typical of the racist attitudes of English-based pidgin, which they Christianise the local population the colonial era, “they bring with spoke with differing degrees of flu- were largely unsuccessful and at them evil habits which are diffi- ency according to age. However, times, bloody violence even broke cult to eradicate; moreover, the the children were forbidden to out. Louis Couppé, the French learning of a European language use the lingua franca of Tok Pisin, bishop at Vunapope from 1889, becomes more arduous the older which was denigrated at the mis- therefore adopted a new strategy: they are”. In the orphanage and sion as the language of the indi­ to form a new young “Christian the boarding school that was as- genous Kanaken. The only option core” at the mission in order to, as sociated with it, children received that remained was German. one historian puts it, “let Christi- German lessons and German was The young people developed anity work through the old society also the everyday language of the their own language which had like yeast in dough”. mission. the advantage of expressing their Mixed-race children born to The linguistic diversity of Papua separate identity while distancing European colonists or Asian im- New Guinea is globally unique: no them from the language of the mis- migrants and indigenous women less than 840 different languages sionaries. This language was Unser- were gathered at the mission. are spoken here by a population deutsch (“Our German”). As well

Map of Papua New Guinea. Unserdeutsch developed at the Catholic mission in Vunapope on the Gazelle Peninsula. Illustration: Hüskes

A historical document from 1932: children at the Vunapope boys’ school in East New Britain.

as its communicative function, it and fully articulated even in un- corresponds to the pattern of plural fulfilled an important social func- stressed syllables (thus kochen be- formation in Tok Pisin. Both lan- tion in the community, marking comes kohän). Some sounds are guages have few inflected endings. and stabilising group awareness replaced, for example ü and ö Unserdeutsch typically makes no in the uprooted, small and socially (Frühstück/frihstick, größere/gresere) formal distinction between main isolated mixed-race community. and the complex sounds pf and ts and subordinate clauses, so unlike Because Unserdeutsch functioned are simplified Pflanzung/flansung( ). Standard German, even a subordi- from the beginning as an “in- Consonant clusters are normally nate clause follows the order sub- group” language within an isolated simplified and often omitted com- ject – predicate – object. This also community with a dense social net- pletely at the end of a word, as in applies in imperative sentences (du work, it evolved quickly. am aben, “am Abend” or i nu sa, komm sitzen in mein office! – “Come “ich sag nur”. and sit in my office”) and in ques- hat are the characteristics In terms of grammar, nouns tions, where the interrogative can W of Unserdeutsch? While are not declined. There is only occur at the end of a sentence: i hat the vocabulary is identical to the one definite article, which al- gemahen was? – “What did I do?”. Standard German of the time, with ways remains the same: de knabe This phenomenon is also observed traces of Tok Pisin (e.g. kakaruk, (der Knabe, boy), de mädhen (das in Tok Pisin. “chicken”) and English (e.g. schtor, Mädchen, girl), de kokonuss (die So how was Unserdeutsch able

Template: d-maps.com) Template: “shop”), the pronunciation and Kokosnuss, coconut). The plural to survive until the present day? / grammar show clear influences of nouns is formed by preced- On completion of their schooling, from Tok Pisin. Vowels are usu- ing the word with alle: s(ch)westä, the young people stayed on at the ally short (hence Standard Ger- “(one) missionary sister” versus alle mission and learned a trade or do-

Graphic: AG Maitz man geht is pronounced gätt) s(ch)westä, “missionary sisters”. This mestic skills. Many of them spent 32 Humanities and Social Sciences german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 33

trips between 2014 and 2017, over guistic description, primarily in the sociated with a desire to use the 50 hours of recordings have been form of a grammar, of what is pos- language more, and with greater made of Unserdeutsch speakers. sibly the last Germanic language to awareness. The purpose of the project is the be described. The old community spirit that systematic documentation of the In parallel to the corpus work, permeates the history of Unser- language. Fieldwork has revealed research is being carried out to deutsch speakers also appears to be that time is of the essence: two of reconstruct the history of the de- regaining its strength. The project the speakers interviewed in the velopment of Unserdeutsch. Here, has attracted much international early stages have already passed researchers are presented with media coverage, being reported in away. The language data collected the rare situation of being able to newspapers, on the radio and on at various locations in Australia trace the emergence and evolution television. This also gives grounds and Papua New Guinea is now be- of a language through to its death. for optimism as to the perception, ing transcribed and analysed. Later, What is possibly also unique is the documentation and perhaps even it will be made accessible to inter- fact that, thanks to the mission revival of the world’s only German- national researchers through the school archive, the names of all the based creole. Database of Spoken German at the individuals who once created this Institute for the German Language language are known. Illustration & Screenshot: Péter Maitz (IDS) in Mannheim. Left: Recording speech and video with an Unserdeutsch speaker in Brisbane, 2016. Right: The recordings are transcribed with The database complies with he fact that virtually all of the help of the EXMARaLDA software. Below: A cloud of Unserdeutsch words and phrases. current international standards. In T the surviving speakers have addition to sound recordings and been located during the course the rest of their lives working in he independence of Papua New In the project “Unserdeutsch transcripts, it includes biographi- of the project is partly thanks to the mission’s workshops or on its T Guinea in 1975 marked the – Documentation of an endan- cal metadata on the speakers. It is Facebook. In a closed group set plantations. The missionaries also next major change for its speakers. gered creole language in Papua designed to allow language data to up by the project team, the Un- arranged marriages between them. Following the introduction of the New Guinea”, linguists are build- be searched efficiently for gram- serdeutsch speakers, separated by Illustration: Zentrale Fotostelle U Augsburg As a result, Unserdeutsch became a government’s localisation policy, ing up a corpus of the language. matical phenomena. A follow-up long distances since their exodus Prof. Dr. Péter Maitz is the project leader and Professor of German shared language in the home and which promoted indigenous work- Thanks to multiple field research project will involve the detailed lin- from the island, have joined to- Linguistics at Augsburg University. within families, and children of the ers and businesses, the mixed-race gether in a large network. The *Other authors: first generation of speakers grew up community of Vuna­pope feared group shares news relating to the Prof. Dr. Werner König with Unserdeutsch as their mother denigration and discrimination. project and the language commu- is a retired academic director at Augsburg tongue. The language thus became Even at the mission, they lost nity. The project also has its own University. a creole, a grammatically simplified their jobs. Many emigrated to website which, in addition to in- Prof. Dr. Craig Alan Volker contact language that develops a Australia in the hope of finding formation about the project, offers is advisor to the project and Adjunct Professor, native-language function. a better life for themselves and fi was du ni bleib? sample recordings to listen to. The Cairns Institute, James Cook University. The next generation was also their children. Today, most of the The project team perceives a Siegwalt Lindenfelser, M.A. educated at the mission school. Af- remaining 100 or so speakers are i wid geht Kokopo surik positive change in the speakers’ at- is a doctoral researcher on the DFG project.

frihstick Angelika Götze, M.A. ter the start of the Australian occu- scattered throughout the states of uns knabe war heraus kanda titude towards their mother tongue pation of New Britain in 1914, the Queensland and New South Wales and heritage, partly due to the in- was a research assistant on the DFG project. influence of English increased, but in eastern Australia. This was what terest and attention of outsiders. Salome Lipfert, B.A. at the mission German remained brought Craig Volker into contact Before the researchers arrived, they and orait Uns erdeutsch Katharina Neumeier, B.A. the dominant language because with Unserdeutsch and its unique saw their language through the are research assistants on the DFG project. the German missionaries were not linguistic features. lens of the widespread, standard zwanzi boi fi sneiden kopra Contact: Universität Augsburg, Lehrstuhl obliged to leave. It was only follow- The surviving speakers of Un- colonial-era ideology. They most für Deutsche Sprachwissenschaft unter ing the Japanese invasion in 1942 serdeutsch are nearly all over 65 bosboi often described their own language besonderer Berücksichtigung des Neuhoch- schtore that German was consistently re- years old. They have not passed herrgemahl as bad German, incorrect German, deutschen, Universitätsstraße 10, 86159 Augsburg, Germany moved from school life. From this the language on to their children. aufwiedersehn or broken German. Now they are point on, Unserdeutsch was only Unless it undergoes a revival, Un- developing an awareness of being www.philhist.uni-augsburg. servim alle flansung de/en/lehrstuehle/germanistik/ spoken at home, between friends serdeutsch will die out in 20 or 30 hausmeri speakers of a unique language and sprachwissenschaft/rabaul_

and at work. years’ time. Graphic: Herling thus “culture-bearers”. This is as- creole_german 34 News german research 3 / 2018 german research 3 / 2018 35

The Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and 57 in the engineering sci- sequently received the Nobel Prize: Prize has been awarded annually ences. The number of award recipi- 1988 Prof. Dr. Hartmut Michel by the DFG since 1986. Each year, ents is higher than the number of (Chemistry), 1991 Prof. Dr. Erwin a maximum of ten prizes can be awarded prizes because, in excep- Neher and Prof. Dr. Bert Sakmann awarded, each with prize money tional cases, the prizes and money (Medicine), 1995 Prof. Dr. Christi- of €2.5 million. With the ten prizes can be shared. Accordingly, a total ane Nüsslein-Volhard (Medicine), for 2019, a total of 368 Leibniz of 395 researchers have received 2005 Prof. Dr. Theodor W. Hänsch Prizes have been awarded to date. the prize, including 339 men and (Physics), 2007 Prof. Dr. Gerhard Of these, 120 were bestowed on 56 women. Ertl (Chemistry) and in 2014 Prof. researchers in the natural sciences, The Leibniz Prize is the most sig- Dr. Stefan W. Hell (Chemistry). 106 in the life sciences, 85 in the nificant research prize in Germany. www.dfg.de/en/service/press/press_releases/ humanities and social sciences, Seven past prizewinners have sub- 2018/press_release_no_55

National Research Data Infrastructure DFG to coordinate selection and evaluation of consortia

Illustrations: Websites of the prizewinners Illustrations: Websites he DFG will play a key role in research processes. Creating an funding measure will be built on T creating a national research infrastructure for research data proven and recognised research- data infrastructure (NFDI). At its management is important for the driven principles. The DFG and all meeting in early December 2018 in entire research system, as this sup- members of the Alliance of Science Leibniz Prizes 2019 Bonn, the Joint Committee agreed ports scienceled research practices Organisations in Germany have to take on new responsibilities fol- and access to and handling of data, strongly advocated for this result.” DFG to honour 10 researchers with Germany’s most important research award lowing a decision of the Joint Sci- thereby stimulating and driving Although the final funding de- ence Conference (GWK) on 16 No- knowledge processes”, said DFG cisions will be made by the GWK he latest recipients of Germa- emony will be held on 13 March Friedrich Bonhoeffer Institute), vember to set up a national research President Prof. Dr. Peter Stroh­ alone, Strohschneider was pleased T ny’s most prestigious research in Berlin. Göttingen data infrastructure in Germany. The schneider during the discussions of that the Federal-State Agreement prize were announced following a The recipients of the DFG’s 2019 • Prof. Dr. Brenda Schulman, Bio- DFG will conduct the initial selec- the Joint Committee. “Therefore, is precise on this point: Only con- decision by the DFG's Joint Com- “Funding Prize in the Gottfried chemistry, Max Planck Institute tion process, regularly evaluate the it is good that the research-policy sortia with a clear funding recom- mittee in early December 2018 in Wilhelm Leibniz Programme” are of Biochemistry (MPIB), Mar- established consortia and manage and financial conditions for a na- mendation based on the review and Bonn. The committee selected ten (from top left to bottom right): tinsried their funds. tional research data infrastructure evaluation process can receive fund- researchers, four women and six • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sami Haddadin, • Prof. Dr. Ayelet Shachar, Law Initial funding of approximately have been created. It is gratify- ing. “This guarantees that, for the men, to receive the 2019 Gottfried Robotics, Technical University and Political Science, Max €85 million per year will be avail- ing to see that this important new NDFI, the selection and evaluation Wilhelm Leibniz Prize. The recipi- of Munich Planck Institute for the Study of able to the consortia for the next of consortia will be made according ents of the prize were chosen by • Prof. Dr. Rupert Huber, Experi- Religious and Ethnic Diversity, ten years. This is expected to fund to strict research principles,” said the the selection committee from 122 mental Physics, University of Göttingen around 30 consortia, which will be DFG President. nominees. Three of the ten prize- Regensburg • Prof. Dr. Michèle Tertilt, Eco- selected in three rounds of calls. The An NFDI expert committee com- winners are from the humanities • Prof. Dr. Andreas Reckwitz, So- nomics, University of Mannheim consortia will be evaluated at regular prising researchers and representa- and social sciences, three from the ciology, European University • Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wernsdorfer, intervals by the DFG. The German tives of infrastructure facilities will life sciences, two from the natural Viadrina, Frankfurt (Oder) Experimental Solid-State Phys- Council of Science and Humanities take on a central role in the next sciences and two from the engineer- • Prof. Dr. Hans-Reimer Rode- ics, Karlsruhe Institute of Tech- will be responsible for evaluating the stage of the process. It will conduct ing sciences. Each will receive prize wald, Immunology, German nology (KIT) overall structure of the national re- the initial selection process and de- money of €2.5 million. The recipi- Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), • Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Wessling, search data infrastructure. The first cide which funding proposals will be ents can use these funds for their re- Heidelberg Chemical Engineering, RWTH funding decisions are expected to be put forward to the GWK for consid- search work in any way they wish, • Dr. Melina Schuh, Cell Biol- Aachen University and Leibniz made by the GWK in June 2020. eration. The members of this com- without bureaucratic obstacles, for ogy, Max Planck Institute for Institute for Interactive Materi- “Research data are a consti- mittee were selected by the Joint

up to seven years. The awards cer- Biophysical Chemistry (Karl als (DWI), Aachen tutive and complex element of Graphic: TIB Blog / www.tib.eu/de Committee of the DFG. 36 About this Publication german research 3 / 2018

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German The DFG places special emphasis on early career sup- Research Foundation) is the largest research funding port, gender equality and scientific relations with organisation and the central self-governing organisa- other countries. It also funds and initiates measures tion for research in Germany. Its mission, as defined to develop and expand scientific library services, data in its statutes, is to promote “all branches of science centres and the use of major instrumentation in re- and the humanities”. search. Another of the DFG’s core tasks is to advise parliaments and public interest institutions on scien- With an annual budget of around €3.2 billion, the tific matters. Together with the German Council of DFG funds and coordinates approximately 32,000 re- Science and Humanities, the DFG is also responsible search projects in its various programmes. These pro- for implementing the Excellence Strategy to promote jects are carried out by both individual researchers top-level research at German universities. and groups of researchers based at universities and non-university research institutions. The focus in all The DFG currently has 96 member organisations, pri- disciplines is on basic research. marily comprised of universities, non-university re- search organisations such as the Max Planck Society, Researchers at universities and research institutions the Leibniz Association and the Fraunhofer-Gesell­ in Germany are eligible to apply for DFG funding. Re- schaft, the Helmholtz Association of German Re- search proposals are evaluated by reviewers in line with search Centres, and academies of sciences and the criteria of scientific quality and originality, and then humanities. The majority of the DFG’s budget is pro- assessed by review boards, which are elected for a four- vided by the federal and state governments, and it The German research landscape is large and varied. The new infor- year period by the German research community. also receives funds from the Stifterverband. mation portal GERiT – German Research Institutions – provides an overview of approximately 25,000 institutes at German universities and non-university research institutions, organised by subject area For more information, visit www.dfg.de/en as well as by geographical and structural criteria. Provided by the DFG in partnership with the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), GERiT replaces the well-known Research Explorer. It allows users to search for institutes in a particular field with the aid of a finely structured classification german research is published by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) system. The system identifies more than 650 different subject are- ImpressumPublisher: WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, P.O. Box 10 11 61, 69541 Weinheim, Germany as. GERiT gives an overview of German research institutions in both For the annual subscription rate please refer to the Wiley Online Library: English and German. This includes information about the disciplines http://olabout.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-404508.html represented at a particular institution, contact details, location maps Address of editorial staff: DFG, Press and Public Relations, Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn, Germany and links to each institute’s own website. For many universities GERiT [email protected]; www.dfg.de also provides a link to the institution’s own careers portal. GERiT is Editor-in-chief: Marco Finetti (responsible for content) linked to the HRK’s Higher Education Compass, giving access to in- Publishing Executive Editor: Dr. Rembert Unterstell formation about doctoral programmes at each institution. Informa- Copy Editors: Stephanie Henseler, Inken Kiupel, Lisa Exey tion about DFG-funded research projects listed in the DFG’s own in- Translation: oneword GmbH, Böblingen formation system GEPRIS can also be accessed. GERiT is Printed by: Bonner Universitäts-Buchdruckerei (BUB) therefore a useful tool for international research mar- Printed on Inapa Oxygen silk, coated, 100% recycled, FSC certified paper with a semi-matt surface keting, promoting Germany as a research destination.

ISSN 0172-1518 www.gerit.org/en

Answers to the “Did you know …?” questions from pages 10 and 11: 1 – true / 2 – false / 3 – true / 4 – false / 5 – false / 6 – false / 7 – false / 8 – true / 9 – true / 10 – true List of current Collaborative Research Centres: www.dfg.de/en/funded_projects/current_projects_programmes/list/index.jsp?id=SFB www.dfg.de/en More information on Collaborative Research Centres : www.dfg.de/sfb/en