german research 2/2009

In this issue Commentary Matthias Kleiner Mirror of Trust and Responsibility ...... p . 2 research Climate Change Meeting expectations following approval of three research-policy pacts Magazine of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft The large lakes in the Sahara Natural Sciences still hold many secrets. With Stefan Kröpelin the help of the lake sediments, geologists are gaining new Lakes in the Sahara ...... p . 4 insights into the variable his- Friedrich Pukelsheim tory of climate and environ- Zurich’s New Apportionment ...... p . 10 ment in arid Africa. Page 4 How stochastics impacts the electoral process in Switzerland On tour with german research A Chronicle of Old Europe Hans-Dieter Bienert Moving Forward in Central Asia ...... p . 13 Harry Graf Kessler kept german New scientific cooperation with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan the diary of his times. The immense diary, which repre- Humanities sents a distinguished source Rembert Unterstell of cultural history, is to be edited step-by-step at the The Diary of a Jack of All Trades ...... p . 14 German Literary Archive in Heinz Reinders Marbach. Page 14 A “ Wog”? No Way! ...... p . 18 An empirical study on the importance of intercultural childhood friendships Catalyst of Life Sciences Disease in View Brigitte Müller The role played by the diets Bright-eyed through the Day ...... p . 20 of children and young people How sensory cells in the retina enable diurnal vision in flying fox who suffer from diabetes type 1 has not yet been fully Sandra Hummel, Maren Pflüger and Anette-G. Ziegler explained. A large-scale Detecting Sugar in Baby Food ...... p . 23 study looks at the importance of gluten as a catalyst. The DFG in the world Page 23 Eva-Maria Streier Welcome to Tokyo! ...... p . 26 German-Japanese Premiere in Hanoi ...... p . 27 Cooperation

Approximately 170 guests from Germany and Japan attended the official opening of the DFG’s office in Tokyo. Visual Perceptions It is hoped that the new by Day and Night 2 /2009 . Bright-eyed through the Day . A "Wog"? No way! office will expand and inten- . Lakes in the Sahara . Detecting Sugar in Baby Food . The sify scientific collaboration New insights into the vision system in flying fox: with the Far East. Page 26 A spectacled flying fox, native to New Guinea Diary of a Jack of All Trades . Zurich's New and northern Australia, is shown hanging upside Apportionment . Trust and Responsibility ­ Tro Cape Tribulation Australia Cover: Hugh Spencer, Austrop, Station, Research pical down. Page 20

german research 2 / 2009 Commentary

s ist vollbracht!” (“Mission tiative for Research and Innovation had the best arguments in favour hile the political deci- an argument which springs from with rectors, presidents and pro- accomplished!”). With these and the Higher Education Pact re­ of this. sion-makers recognised our deepest conviction. We firm- fessors, we know that everywhere E words, texted from the Fed- present them on a large scale. The The Excellence Initiative had W all these advantages and ly believe that, in times of crisis in higher education institutions eral Chancellery in Berlin to Bonn decision to continue the initiatives already led to an unprecedent- merits, it still took more than six such as these, it is particularly im- and in research institutes, creative shortly after 4 pm on Thursday, was a decision in favour of this fu- ed spirit of optimism in the Ger- months for the decision in favour portant to invest more heavily in minds are ready to demonstrate 4 June this year, Dr. Annette Scha- ture. This is one of the reasons why, man higher education and scien- of the initiatives to be reached education, science and research. their potential for generating ideas van, the German Federal Minister personally speaking, receiving this tific landscape, with the first two – six months in which we could These fields, after all, are our and achievements. The new round for Education and Research, de- message from Berlin was one of the rounds of the competition resulting not always be sure of how things society’s essential sources of in- of the Excellence Initiative, with livered the most important piece greatest moments in my career as in many impressive and interna- stood. Although there was less novation – and thus of enhanced its competition between previous- of science-policy-related news of President of the DFG to date. tionally visible ideas, projects and debate compared to the disputes growth and prosperity. ly funded and new projects and the next few years: the heads of facilities, will provide the ideal fo- the German federal government rum for this. and states had passed the “three The major scientific organisations major initiatives”. The Excellence will use the newly gained freedoms Initiative, the Joint Initiative for in the Joint Initiative for Research Research and Innovation and the and Innovation just as intensively. Higher Education Pact were not Matthias Kleiner Here at the DFG, we want to pro- only continued, they were also mote young researchers even more given a considerable budgetary effectively in the years to come. boost. By 2018, the federal gov- And we want to forge ahead more ernment and the states will in- strongly with the transfer of knowl- vest 18 billion euros in the three edge from basic research to appli- forward-looking initiatives, of Trust and cation, to follow more consistently which around five billion euros the course which has already been will flow via the DFG into basic set – that of “funding right through research. This is the biggest joint to the prototype”. In this way we, programme for education, science too, will contribute to overcoming and research in German history. Responsibility the crisis – and demonstrate how Or, as Nature put it: “A historic science carries society. deal for German science.” We had fervently hoped for he big issue over the next this message from Berlin and had Meeting expectations after the go-ahead few months will be imple- worked long and intensively to- T menting these concepts in wards it. The fact that we were re- for the Excellence Initiative, the Joint our daily activities, and the ef- ceiving it now, in the Bonn Arith- forts associated with doing so meum, where the DFG and the Initiative for Research and Inno­vation will consume everyone involved Federal Ministry for Education in science. This also applies to and Research were, at the pre- and the Higher Education Pact the Deutsche Forschungsgemein- cise moment the political decision schaft. During our preparations

was made, awarding this year’s Illustration: Frenz for and implementation of the new Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prizes, was Excellence Initiative, we cannot somewhat surreal. From an inter- allow our actual – and extremely nal standpoint, however, things hat being said, however, it facilities – not to mention several that arose between the parties, the With their decision in favour important – mission of funding couldn’t have been more logical. was not always easy to re- thousand highly qualified jobs for federal government and the states of the three initiatives, politics science and the humanities to be The six new recipients of Ger- T main optimistic throughout scientists and academics. during the setup of the Excellence has recognised and confirmed neglected; rather, we must con- many’s most significant prize for the many months leading up to The major scientific organisa- Initiative, another factor played a this fact. In doing so, it has dem- tinue to enhance our funding op- young scientific researchers repre- the decision and to hold fast to the tions had already been able to use role: the three initiatives became onstrated courage and foresight. portunities and policies. No doubt sented, on that afternoon, the en- belief that these initiatives, which the Joint Initiative for Research caught up in the maelstrom of the Credit is due first and foremost to this will also involve additional tire generation of young talent in were, from the very outset, both and Innovation to expand their global economic crisis. In light of Federal Minister Schavan and the resources and, therefore, a great our higher education and research so desirable and so vital for sci- sponsorship programmes, thus fur- the ever-increasing number of bad science ministers of the federal deal of work and effort. This chal- institutions to whom politics and ence and the humanities, would ther improving the chances for in- tidings from the stock markets states; they deserve our express lenge is, however, well worth it! science have made such tremen- eventually come into being. Af- novative scientists to receive fund- and the headquarters of major gratitude, as do the Federal Chan- dous promises involving the three ter many preparatory discussions ing, while the Higher Education corporations, of new declarations cellor, the minister-presidents and initiatives over the past few years and negotiations, the major scien- Pact contributed to improving the of bankruptcy and fresh contro- the finance ministers. – promises that they will now be tific organisations presented their academic education of more than versies over government-issued All these persons have demon- able to fulfil. specific concepts to the political two million young people in Ger- indemnity bonds and economic strated that politics trusts science, Just as the prizewinning young world last autumn. One thing was man higher education institutions stimulus packages, the three ma- and that it takes science seriously. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Matthias Kleiner is President researchers symbolise hope and certain for us all: all three initia- – at the same time guaranteeing jor forward-looking initiatives Science wants to – and will – prove of the DFG. the future of science and research tives must be continued and their the DFG the additional 20 percent faced an uncertain future. itself worthy of the trust that has in Germany on a small scale, the funding considerably increased. in overhead funding it now pays Time and again during these been placed in it – we owe it to Address: Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn, 2 Excellence Initiative, the Joint Ini- And we were convinced that we for nearly all funded projects. truly dramatic weeks we invoked ourselves. From many discussions Germany 3

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 Lakes in the Sahara

Large bodies of water in the middle of the desert are not only a natural spectacle, they also contain extremely precise environmental archives. Sedi- ments extracted from these lakes document climate evolution and provide information on dust storms, savannah fires and volcanic eruptions. A journey to north-east Chad

By Stefan Kröpelin

4 5 Illustration: George

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 Natural Sciences

n a canoe on a salt lake. A metre for metre, ensuring that the magazine in the hope of revealing sumption that the bed of Lake Yoa obstructed further penetration. The data thus cover the mid- to late drilling platform, consisting valuable core is not lost. Sediment the secret of the largest lakes in the conceals an environmental and cli- The long sediment cores also dis- Holocene up to the time of modern Iof two inflatables and some cores up to 9 metres long, all ex- Sahara. The aim was to investigate mate archive, probably comprising played continuous fine lamination. nuclear tests and contemporary wooden planks, is anchored here. hibiting fine lamination in the mil- the palaeoclimatic potential of the the entire Holocene to the present Radiocarbon dating and counting armed conflicts with a previously It has been transported across sev- limetre range, are extracted using Ounianga lakes and the surround- day; that is, all the 12,000 years of of the single layers revealed that unattainable precision. eral thousand kilometres of Libyan this method. ing areas. the present post-glacial period. they record the past 6,000 years The findings also illuminate the and Egyptian, then Sudanese and While previous investigations of The four square kilometre Lake at a seasonal resolution. This new climatic and ecological background Chadian desert to its present loca- lake deposits in the Egyptian and Yoa at Ounianga Kebir lies in the he discovery of this excep- data base represents the most com- of the prehistoric settlement his- tion. north-Sudanese deserts allowed centre of the Chadian Sahara. Rain tionally well preserved cli- plete and precise Saharan climate tory of the region. However, they Now, in the afternoon, the con- the climate history of the last hu- almost never falls here, while an- T mate archive led to a new archive available for the mid- and primarily provide an answer to the stantly blowing trade winds have mid period in the Sahara to be re- nual evaporation reaches a world project in Chad within the Collab- late Holocene. question of whether or to which ex- settled down slightly and the sun constructed for the time between record of more than 6,000 millime- orative Research Centre 389 “Arid The ongoing laboratory work, tent climate events and fluctuations burns a little less glaringly from approximately 10,000 and 1,500 tres – around 2,000 times the local Climate, Adaptation and Cultural carried out in specialised, do- the sky. To be sure of reaching BCE, practically no data existed precipitation. Evaporation losses, Innovation in Africa” (ACACIA). mestic and overseas laboratories, land again in an oncoming storm for the following period. However, which approximate the water con- Following exhaustive preparation comprises sedimentological and Left: Lake Boku, fed by fossil groundwa- in one of the windiest regions of indicators of environmental and sumption of the city of Cologne with the partner research authority geochemical investigations, high- ter, in the now sand-encroached basin of Ounianga Serir. The freshwater lake the Sahara, the platform is tied to climate change in the world’s larg- with its population of one million, in the Chadian capital N’Djamena resolution image analyses, dating defies 4,000 years of extreme aridity. a palm tree on the shore by a 400 est desert during the past 3,500 are compensated exclusively by the and a three-month long transfer of and isotope studies, as well as de- Next to it: Massive early Holocene lake metre long rope. years are extremely valuable for subsurface inflow of fossil ground- the vehicles and drilling equipment tailed evaluations of the floral and deposits.

Campsite in the Sahara: Researchers have inferring recent dynamics in arid water. Soundings in the extremely from Germany to the east-central faunal microfossil content. The derived from ocean and ice drilling arrived in Chad with expedition vehicles regions or for climate modelling in saline water indicated a maximum Sahara, the first systematic on-site 12,000 millimetre-thin layers al- cores can be applied to the conti- and coring equipment. Next to it: A dril- ‘Global Change’ programmes. depth of 26 metres. studies began in December 2003. low not only uninterrupted insights nental African desert belt. In ad- ling platform is anchored on the Yoa salt lake at Ounianga Kebir. The extracted The remote north-eastern part of Using specially designed drilling into climate his- dition, they can cores (columns on the left and right Chad remains to this day the least o identify the properties of equipment, it was possible to re- tory and the evo- help to evaluate margins) are a mirror of climatic history. explored region of the Sahara, if the sub-bottom deposits, an cover 4.5 metre long cores from the lution of aquatic The research, which includes computer-aided not the whole of Africa because T initial sample was taken with lake bed; they document the last and terrestrial climate models of its extremely harsh desert envi- a gravity coring cylinder suspend- 2600 years in detail. ecosystems in the sedimentological, geochemi- and thus im- The water at the drilling point ronment and notorious insecurity. ed on a wire line. The 50 centime- The subsequent field campaign Sahara, they also prove global cli- is 26 metres deep. The waves rock The Ounianga lakes have there- tre long sediment core exhibited in the autumn of 2004 allowed provide informa- cal and other analyses, is mate forecasts. the boats, which are quickly cov- fore been neglected as a field for millimetre-thin layers with a char- deeper penetration into the in- tion, precise to conducted in specialised, The neigh- ered with a white layer by the slop- geoscientific research since their acteristic structure, clearly indicat- creasingly compacted sediments the year, on nat- bouring Ouni­ ping salt water. A great deal of skill discovery by the French military ing winter and summer phases. by using a metal casing. Reach- ural events such domestic and overseas labs anga Serir basin and manual dexterity is required to geographer Jean Tilho early in Exceptionally constant conditions ing the limit of the light-weight as large dust (Arabic: serir = push the coring cylinder in the 35 the 20th century. It was not until are required for the formation of drilling method at a depth of 35 storms, savan- small), 40 kilo- metre long casing bit by bit deeper January 1999 that a five week ex- such fine lamination, especially metres below lake level, cores up nah fires and volcanic eruptions, metres east of Ounianga Kebir into the lakebed deposits and then pedition was started in coopera- in an oasis in the extreme desert. to 9 metres long were extracted, or on the first occurrence of certain (Arabic: kebir = large), with its 6 to pull the heavy rods back up, tion with Uwe George from GEO This observation supported the as- until a heavily compacted layer crop plants such as the date palm. lakes is not only one of the most 7

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 beautiful sceneries in the Sahara, Gentle giant: The 5.5 square kilometre, but one of the most interesting saline Lake Teli at Ounianga Serir. The study areas. In an almost rain- islands were once at least 50 metres below the water surface. Bottom left: less region the very existence of The author with native dignitaries. these lakes is remarkable. Just as Right: An overloaded lorry reaches the in the case of Lake Yoa, they only researchers’ quarters following an exist due to the permanent influx odyssey through the Sahara. of fossil groundwater, which accu- mulated during the last wet peri- od. Together with Ounianga Kebir up to 80 metres above today’s lake- the lakes represent the relics of beds. Based on radiocarbon dating, the early Holocene ‘Mega Chad’, the finely laminated diatomaceous once one of the world’s largest in- muds and mollusc-bearing chalks land lake systems. Although all are early Holocene, i.e. 7,000 to of the Sahara’s water bodies are 10,000 years old. The individual doomed as a result of ongoing sediment sequences shall later be desiccation, dropping groundwa- correlated with the climate archive ter tables and encroaching dunes, of Lake Yoa at Ounianga Kebir. they will subsist for at least a few By precision surveying of the centuries if groundwater inflow higher lake deposits with the aid of continues. the differential global positioning system (DGPS), it was possible to ver the past millennia, the determine past lake levels. ‘Virtual constantly blowing north- flooding’ of digital elevation mod- O east trade winds have waft- els based on these measurements ed long tongues of sand into the allow an accurate reconstruction basin. They have divided the once of the much larger extent of the contiguous freshwater lake into Ounianga Serir lake during the last 15 smaller lakes that cover a total humid period. In geo-archaeologi- area of approximately 20 square cal cooperation, this procedure also kilometres. With the exception of helps in the search for prehistoric the central salt lake (Teli), they are settlements which were generally more or less, and in some cases set up near shorelines and would entirely, covered by floating reed otherwise be practically impossible mats which considerably reduce to locate in the vast, largely sand- evaporation. covered terrain. The open central lake, in con- The palaeoclimatic data set ac- trast, evaporates significantly more quired so far shall be expanded. It and therefore acts as a gigantic is planned to continue the coring evaporation pump, causing the in Ounianga Kebir using heavi- lowest lake level at this point. As er drilling equipment in order to a consequence of the gradient, wa- record and better understand the ter is constantly drawn in from the environmental and climate devel- higher freshwater lakes through opment of the Sahara during the the permeable body of the dunes entire Holocene and possibly even before it gets salty. the late Pleistocene, i.e. the past This mechanism explains the 130,000 years. existence of freshwater lakes – a paradox under the climatic condi- tions of the Sahara, where salinisa- Dr. Stefan Kröpelin was the leader of the tion generally occurs very quickly geo-archaeological subprojects “Sudan” and “Chad” in Collaborative Research Centre due to the high rate of evaporation. 389 “Arid Climate, Adaptation and Cultural This makes the Ounianga Serir Innovation in Africa” (ACACIA; ”Kultur- und ecosystem so unique. Compara- Landschaftswandel im ariden Afrika – Ent- ble freshwater ecosystems are not wicklungsprozesse unter ökologischen Grenz­ known in the Sahara or any other bedingungen”). extreme desert. Contact: Africa Research Unit, Institute of Pre- Because of the heavy erosion by historic Archaeology, University of Cologne, wind only very few remains from Jennerstraße 8, 50823 Cologne, Germany older lake deposits are preserved

8 on the surface. They are exposed Illustrations: Kröpelin . www.uni-koeln.de/sfb389 9

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 Natural Sciences

Left: A city council meeting in Zurich’s town doubly proportional method of seat vote totals by the divisor does not hall. The new apportionment procedure apportionment and presented it us- result in an integer. The canton di- saw its debut in the city council elections ing empirical data from an election visor is chosen by the returning of- on 12 February 2006. Below: A snapshot of events on election night. in Mexico as an example. When ficer administering the election so Christian Schuhmacher, head of that all 180 seats are filled. the legislative service for the can- Super-apportionment guaran- In past elections, serious difficul- ton of Zurich, consulted the author tees is that each voter carries equal ties arose in the small districts, be- (a mathematician at the University weight, irrespective of whether they cause if there are nine or more par- of Augsburg) for advice it proved live in a small district or a large one, ties running for only four seats, for relatively easy to adapt Balinski’s thus complying with the constitu- instance, then the voters for more method to create “Zurich’s new ap- tional principle of equality. More­ than half of the parties are, una- portionment procedure” (Neues over, this procedure is clear and easy voidably, left unrepresented. It is Zürcher Zuteilungsverfahren, NZZ). to understand. Since every vote total pure common sense to surmise that is divided by the same divisor, rela- the objectives of proportional rep- he new system is a two-stage tive proportions remain unaffected, resentation can only be achieved seat apportionment proce- meaning that the concept of propor- if – to put it bluntly – the term pro- T dure. In the first stage, a tionality is implemented in practice. portionality is taken very loosely in general distribution of seats called However, because only whole seats such cases. However, the electoral “super-apportionment” is per- can be shared out between the par- system is not governed by common formed for the entire electoral re- ties, the result has to be rounded off sense; what matters is what the con- gion, in which all of the 180 seats at the end. stitutional courts say. are apportioned to the parties in The second stage, “sub-appor- In 2002 the Swiss Federal Court proportion to the total number of tionment”, where the seats are ap- ruled that the constitutional right votes they received across the can- portioned to the party lists in the of all citizens to a system of pro- ton. This is done by dividing each electoral districts, now is subject to portional representation is indeed party’s canton vote total by a com- more stringent requirements. This violated if the constituencies are so mon divisor (which is specific to the is because on the one hand the small that there are too few seats to election) and rounding the result pre-specified districts sizes have to allow proportionality. The reasoning to the nearest number of seats. In be adhered to, while, on the other behind this judgement was that it is the 2007 elections, the divisor used hand, the total number of seats per not acceptable for the guaranteed was a “canton divisor” of 1531. The party for the entire canton, calcu- right to equality, which the voters rounding to the nearest number of lated in the super-apportionment, are entitled to under a system of seats is necessary because dividing must be met. Surprisingly, the sys-

Illustration: Mediendienste Zürich proportional representation, to take 18 different forms in different dis- tricts of a common electoral region, but it has also found widespread such as a canton. No voter should acceptance. Dubbed “Zurich’s new be put at a disadvantage simply be- Zurich’s New apportionment procedure” – also cause they live in a small district. referred to mathematically as the The right to equality applies equally “biproportional divisor method with to all voters, wherever they live in standard rounding” – it is especial- the region where the election is tak- ly good at conforming to the Swiss ing place, in this case the canton of Apportionment tradition of popular democracy and Zurich. The electoral system thus proportional representation. This is needs to deliver this equality, as particularly well demonstrated by far as is practically possible. In the How mathematics has played an essential role in giving the cantonal elections in the canton wake of this groundbreaking judge- an ancient democracy a new electoral system of Zurich on 15 April 2007, which ment, the parliament of the canton are taken as an example here. of Zurich felt obliged to revise its As is the case in all Swiss can- electoral system. Basically, either By Friedrich Pukelsheim the people. This system uses a new tons, the canton of Zurich is divided the small districts had to go, or an- method to calculate the allocation into several electoral districts for the other solution was called for. n Sunday, 28 September of votes to parliamentary seats that purpose of these elections, a system This is where maths came in, as 2008 the people of the Swiss had made its way directly from the with a long tradition. In the middle a better electoral system, capable O canton of Schaffhausen ivory tower of science to the world of each legislative period the 180 of overcoming the weaknesses that were called to the ballot box to vote of politics. seats on the cantonal council are al- had been identified in the old sys- in the canton council elections. This The first trial of the new electoral located in proportion to the size of tem, had in fact already been de- was their first encounter with a new system took place in the canton of the population to each of the 18 dis- veloped by mathematicians about a electoral system that had just recent- Zurich in 2004. Not only has it been tricts. At present, the smallest dis- decade previously. The mathemati- ly been adopted in a popular refer- used on numerous occasions else- trict (Andelfingen) has four and the cian Balinski from the École Poly-

10 endum and won the confidence of where in Switzerland since then, largest (Bülach) 17 seats. technique in Paris had described a Illustration: Zachariassen 11

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 On tour with german research

SVP SP FDP Grüne CVP glp EVP EDU AL Oberzuteilung im gesamten Wahlgebiet Kantons- [ Wählerzahl / Kantonsdivisor -> Parteisitze ] divisor Kanton Zürich 180 85056-56 54363-36 44622-29 29155-19 20235-13 16071-10 14608-10 7865-5 3532-2 1531 Unterzuteilung an die Wahlkreise Wahlkreis- [ Stimmenzahl / (Wahlkreisdivisor x Parteidivisor) -> Wahlkreissitze ] divisor Moving Forward in Central Asia Stadt Zürich, Kreise 1&2 5 7896-1 10749-2 8460-1 5241-1 2649-0 2215-0 679-0 413-0 850-0 6400 Stadt Zürich, Kreise 3&9 12 47555-3 54764-3 15438-1 24609-2 16226-1 10255-1 8042-0 1829-0 6322-1 16100 Stadt Zürich, Kreise 4&5 5 4183-1 9220-2 1890-0 5827-1 1231-0 2124-0 312-0 102-0 2606-1 5000 Stadt Zürich, Kreise 6&10 9 27483-2 41117-3 20345-1 21607-1 9041-1 9159-1 5017-0 1194-0 3872-0 15000 How science in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is looking to make international connections Stadt Zürich, Kreise 7&8 7 13793-1 19537-2 21011-2 15182-1 5741-1 6405-0 2995-0 496-0 1735-0 12000 Stadt Zürich, Kreise 11&12 12 47929-4 42863-3 16143-1 16368-1 13339-1 7208-1 6638-1 2572-0 2126-0 12000 Bezirk Dietikon 11 57231-4 26684-2 25153-2 10047-1 16580-1 4333-0 6269-1 1906-0 981-0 12500 Bezirk Affoltern 6 19914-2 11816-1 12410-1 4651-1 3499-0 3927-0 4923-1 2163-0 316-0 9100 By Hans-Dieter Bienert ologists were able to show recently and support on location but also Bezirk Horgen 15 106836-4 62794-2 78517-4 37310-1 32885-2 18088-1 20059-1 7089-0 2190-0 24600 that as early as the 4th century B.C. helps with relations with the Uz- Bezirk Meilen 13 105029-4 52763-2 88948-3 20940-1 22387-1 20755-1 11895-0 9507-1 1016-0 28000 Bezirk Hinwil 11 67980-4 27705-1 24812-1 20718-1 17620-1 10231-1 14428-1 15379-1 1138-0 18400 he gaze searches in vain there has been severe lowering of bekistan authorities who occa- Bezirk Uster 16 120851-5 64071-2 55030-3 24819-1 24893-1 45108-2 15894-1 12036-1 2250-0 24000 for water – and loses itself the water table – not least as a re- sionally maintain a cool attitude Bezirk Pfäffikon 7 32800-3 12988-1 11569-1 12146-1 4968-0 3512-0 8561-1 4178-0 317-0 12700 Winterthur-Stadt 13 70175-3 64288-3 39605-2 37676-2 25834-1 14670-1 20193-1 7976-0 6637-0 24000 T in a seemingly endless arid sult of human interventions. towards foreign activities. Winterthur-Land 7 34299-3 12341-1 12112-1 7777-1 5371-0 3305-0 8761-1 3322-0 316-0 13000 steppe. If there weren’t scores of On their journey through Uz- A new departure can also be Bezirk Andelfingen 4 12845-2 4019-1 5122-1 3143-0 897-0 954-0 1534-0 1298-0 444-0 7000 Bezirk Bülach 17 140090-6 67833-3 55185-3 33619-1 25010-1 20238-1 23301-1 13584-1 1587-0 23000 shipwrecks rusting away to draw bekistan and Kazakhstan the DFG sensed in Kazakhstan research. Bezirk Dielsdorf 10 57674-4 21520-2 15743-1 12294-1 8485-1 6820-0 4713-0 4943-1 439-0 13000 your attention (see photo), and delegation of three experts and Most notably the young universi- Parteidivisor 1.02 1.07 0.91 1.013 0.89 1.1 1 0.67 0.7 thousands upon thousands of lit- three representatives from the head ties want to embrace internation- SVP Schweizerische Volkspartei Grüne Grüne EVP Evangelische Volkspartei tle shells, you would never be- office, tried to establish contact with al standards systematically and SP Sozialdemokratische Partei CVP Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei EDU Eidgenössische-Demokratische Union FDP Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei glp Grünliberale Partei AL Alternative Liste / PdA lieve that you were standing on researchers and scientific organisa- quickly. They are the drive for the former seabed the development ------of the Aral Sea – of their country. once the fourth- Even though pre- Kantonsratswahlen Zürich am 15. April 2007. Jeder Wähler hat so viele Stimmen, wie im Wahlkreis Sitze zu vergeben sind (linke Spalte: 5, 12, 5, usw.). Um die Wählerzahl zu erhalten, die im Wahlkreis hinter einer Partei steht, wird die Stimmenzahl largest inland sea viously the focus durch die Wahlkreisgröße geteilt und standardgerundet (7896/5 = 1579.2 -> 1579, 47555/12 = 4094.52 -> 4095, usw.). Gesamt- in the world. was often directed kantonal ergeben sich die Wählerzahlen 85056 für die SVP, 54363 für die SP, usw. (erste Zeile). Bei 180 Gesamtsitzen entfällt Since 1960 its towards the USA, somit in der Oberzuteilung auf je 1531 Wähler rund ein Sitz (85055/1531 = 55.55 -> 56, 54363/1531 = 35.51 -> 36, usw.). In der Unterzuteilung sind die Wahlkreisdivisoren (rechte Spalte) und die Parteidivisoren (letzte Zeile) so berechnet, dass expanse of wa- the scientists of sowohl die Wahlkreisgrößen als auch die kantonsweiten Parteisitze genau ausgeschöpft werden. Dazu werden die Stimmenzahlen ter has shrunk to different disci- durch beide Divisoren geteilt und dann standardgerundet: 7896/(6400x1.02) = 1.2 -> 1, 47555/(16100x1.02) = 2.9 -> 3, usw.

Illustration: Pukelsheim a quarter of its plines are also original size, that very interested in tem only requires a few minor – and understand why, in the light of ac- cal point of view. The new system is to say to three intensifying coop- very plausible – modifications in tual electoral practices, the new bi- reduces the potential for a parlia- smaller lakes eration with Euro- order to fulfil these more stringent proportional system is so good. mentary or legal argument whether with an expanse pean countries. requirements. One of the most convincing struc- seats are allocated “correctly”. The of approximately The most re- tural characteristics is what in tech- theoretical notion of coherence thus 20,000 square cent example istrict divisors”, which formed nical terms is called “coherence”, contributes a very practical “con- kilometres. The from archaeology part of the old system and the relationship between the overall flict-reducing” strategy – a very historian Profes- was shown by the D hence predate the introduc- problem and the partial problems special feature of the new Zurich sor Makset Kar- researchers from tion of the new system, are used to contained in the overall structure. apportionment procedure. libaev, a member the cluster of ex- ensure that, within a given district, This is of practical relevance be- Mind you, structural elegance of the Uzbekistan cellence “Topoi all parties are represented propor- cause, if there is disagreement over and mathematical clarity are no Academy of Sci- Illustration: Bienert – The Formation tionally. The new system introduces a seat, the disagreement does not ends in themselves, but need to be ences, knows to explain this to tions – and in doing so encountered and Transformation of Space and additional “party divisors” to secure usually affect all of the parties or integrated into an electoral system a DFG delegation, which visited great interest. In numerous dis- Knowledge in Ancient Civiliza- proportionality between the 18 dis- all of the districts, but only a few of that has grown organically. For this the western Uzbekistan town of cussions and talks with academy tions” who, together with Kaza- trict lists for any given party. Other- them. It turns out that, if the candi- to be successful, the historical roots Munjak in May 2008. One rea- and university institutes the desire khstan scientists, have started wise, the calculation is performed in dates wish to redistribute the seats are crucial, as are the constitutional son for the ecological catastro- for new joint ventures was voiced work in ancient kurgans on the exactly the same way as before. The they are entitled to and also do so principles and the relevant socio- phe is the massive expansion time and again. With much assert- outskirts of the former capital number of votes is divided by the using the biproportional method, political goals. Switzerland is a of the irrigated areas for cotton iveness the predominantly young city Almaty. Further research corresponding “district divisor” and the end result is exactly the same prime example of the fact that such monoculture and rice cultivation scientists strive for international projects, in Uzbekistan as well, “party divisor” and then rounded to number of seats the method granted modernisation of the electoral sys- in the region. The consequences dialogue and expert partnership. In are planned or were even able to the nearest number of seats. them right in the beginning. tem can even be implemented rap- are disastrous: Salt efflorescence doing so, archaeologists, ethnolo- be finalised on the trip. The joint The mathematical contribution To be more precise, the term “co- idly in a decidedly traditional envi- polluted with pesticide residues gists and Central Asian researchers ventures should continue to be is evident at two levels. On the one herence” means that partial prob- ronment, while also enjoying broad from the areas that have run dry lead the way; after all, the countries strengthened and systematically hand, it is necessary to ensure that lems that can be embedded in the political and public acceptance. and the contaminated drinking of Central Asia are a priority field of supported – in the interest of sci- the divisors (canton divisor, district overall problem result in the same water are causing major health research for them. ence and the connection of this divisors and party divisors) are easy number of seats as that given by Prof. Dr. Friedrich Pukelsheim is active in problems. The Institut Français d’Etudes region with Europe. to calculate. Given modern knowl- the solution to the overall problem. research and teaching at the University of A large number of internation- d’Asie Centrale in Taschkent also Augsburg. edge of algorithms and computing, Whichever other party a dissatisfied al research projects have since assumes a special role. Its direc- Dr. Hans-Dieter Bienert is a programme this is not a problem. On the other party compares itself with – even if Contact: Institute of Mathematics / Chair of focussed on this problem. As a re- tor Dr Bayram Balci not only offers director in the DFG’s Humanities and Social hand, mathematics also provides it is its closest rival – everything is Applied Stochastics, Universitätsstrasse 14, sult of this work German archae- European scientists a research base Sciences Division. 12 structural insight that helps us to alright, from a purely mathemati- 86159 Augsburg, Germany 13

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 Humanities The Diary of a Jack of All Trades The German Empire, Republic, and dictatorship: Harry Graf Kessler was a chronicler of his era. At the German Literature Archive in Marbach his chronicle of the century is being edited meticulously – giving us a fascinating glimpse of “old Europe” page by page

By Rembert Unterstell Weimar, he was no stranger to con- Without a doubt, Kessler’s dedi-

tradiction. By the end of his life, the cation in championing the cause Marbach DLA Illustration: ven his appearance was unu- wealthy banker’s son, the socialite of French Impressionism and the sual, colourful and dazzling. of Wilhelmine Germany, a lion of avant-garde in Germany was well plans, plots and resolutions. A sick Left: Three of Kessler’s diaries dating On the famous painting of him the salons, the art patron and man known to art historians, and contem- taste, a pathological excitement that from the war years 1914/15. Above: An E almost indecipherable diary entry written by Edvard Munch, painted in 1906, of letters of the Fin de Siècle, and porary historians were familiar with governs the all too well oiled wheels on 7 August 1916. Kessler glued a Harry Graf Kessler (1868 –1937) was not least the warmongering cavalry his political role, for instance his of the state machinery! Now this postcard with a sketch on the right hand portrayed as he liked to be seen: As captain of the First World War and brief service as ambassador to Po- spirit, null and void as it is, is left ly- facing page. Right: A famous portrait of a flâneur, a subtle aesthete, elegant the failed diplomat of the Weimar land in 1918. Yet his main, and most ing here as pointless clobber. I feel Kessler painted by Edvard Munch in 1906. from top to toe, surrounded by an Republic, had become a convinced significant, achievement in life was no pity for it, merely (…) dread and aura of cool Anglo-Saxon noncha- in fact neither visible nor accessible a sense of complicity for this world lance. A German Dandy, – his extensive diaries. For not having been destroyed long and Dr. Ulrich Ott, the former direc- as large as life, who no less than 57 years ago, but instead continues to persist tor of the DLA, since 2004 by Klett- may have appeared of his life, from 1880 in slightly modified forms all around Cotta. The eighth volume (1923 – somewhat blasé both until shortly before us.” (28.12.1918) 1926) was published in spring 2009 then and now. his death in 1937, he A telling diary entry. The world’s and presented at the Leipzig Book But Kessler was wrote a diary of his greatest experts on it work at the Fair. more than just a nar- era – a “diary of the DLA, located high above the river But let’s take things one step at a cissistic bon vivant. century” as the cul- Neckar on the Marbach Schiller- time. It all started in 1995 with the This is emphasised tural publicist pro- höhe. The utilitarian building of the word-for-word transcription of the by his most pro- fessor Ulrich Raulff, renowned literature archive stands 57 diaries. Kessler’s handwriting, found biographer, the Director of the in stark contrast to the aura of this which was often hard to decipher, the American histo- German Literature “magical hill”, looking more like a and the large quantity of material rian Laird M. Eas- Archive in Mar- bunker on the outside. This is also demanded great attention to de- ton, who spent a bach (DLA), refers where the leader of the Kessler tail and patience of those doing the whole decade re- to it pointedly, and project, Dr. Roland S. Kamzelak, is work. In order to make this valuable tracing the life of a “masterpiece of based. He is an expert on the edi- source usable after having spent five “The Red Count”. European diary tion and graphically enthuses about years working on its transcription, Whether in the writing”. Care for the documents relating to Kessler – the editors decided to publish the art world or in lit- a sample? As the letters, manuscripts for books and transcription electronically on CD- erary life, in day- war-weary Kessler diaries – which the DLA, which has ROM initially. “A facsimile would

to-day politics Marbach DLA Illustration: stands before the a collection of the legacies of some have been of little use to researchers or the diplomatic Hohenzollern Cas- 1200 authors and scholars, procured or readers”, Kamzelak explains. service – Kessler wanted to be active tle in Berlin, which in “circuitous and sometimes bi- The reconstituted raw text has and used his contacts, ranging from repub- had been ransacked zarre ways”. already brought Kessler’s peculiar Albert Einstein to Gustav Strese- lican and during the November From the desk in his office handwriting to light: Some readers mann, and from George Grosz to pacifist – revolution of 1918, he Kamzelak looks out onto a gallery of praised the multifaceted descrip- Josephine Baker, to do so. Yet in spite “The Red Count”, notes bitterly that: “This portraits of Kessler and talks about tions by the cosmopolitan character, of his “10,000 friends”, which even as his contemporaries environment gave rise to the 16,000 pages of diary entries, a others the sharp-tongued analy- alienated his poet friend Hugo von called him, somewhat disparag- the World War, or the Kaiser’s por- collected edition of which is being ses by the observer of his contem- Hofmannsthal, Kessler remained an ingly. He died lonely in exile, hav- tion of blame for the war and to this prepared in Marbach. The edition poraries, while others praised the outsider with a lot of acquaintances. ing fled the Nazis, on 30 November chintzy, petty, illusory world which is planned to encompass nine large elegant, often dazzling entries by Restlessly moving between his 1937 in Lyon – and was soon forgot- deceives itself and others with noth- volumes, which have been being this homme de lettres. Unlike Tho-

14 abodes in Paris, London, Berlin and ten. ing but false values, its judgments, published one by one by Kamzelak mas Mann, the other great diarist Munch / VG Bild-Kunst Illustration: akg-images / © Edvard 15

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 Günter Riederer, who worked on the project, meticulously deciphers a page of the diary. Kessler’s handwriting – his sig- nature is shown in the middle – is some- times challenging to decipher. The “Red Count’s” diaries are fi rst transcribed on computer and then published in print and in electronic format.

by line”, in other words with conven- tional footnotes as used in historical- critical editions, have been dashed. The editors themselves are un- able to understand this criticism. They emphasise the fact that the need for “economy of time” had made an edition using an index as a reference the obvious solution. “A historical-critical edition would have taken 20 to 30 years to complete”, Kamzelak estimates. In any case, the “actual diary would have been lost in the overwhelming mass of com- ments and notes”. “From the outset, we wanted to allow Kessler to speak for himself and leave the commen- tary to the researchers in their vari- ous fi elds”, Kamzelak explains. The Dandy as an army volunteer: Harry names of about 12,000 contempo- Will the edition also be published Graf Kessler in 1914 (above) and on the rary and historical individuals – can online? The leader of the project Eastern Front in the Carpathian Moun- be compiled for all of the volumes gives a diplomatic answer to this tains in winter (third from left) with his offi cers. Right: Kessler frequently used of the print edition in one go. At the question. The complete edition will his diary as a notebook, as shown by the same time, the index for the elec- be published in electronic format, newspaper cuttings he stuck in – these tronic version of the publication can that much is certain – whether it is on

are from November 1918. also be prepared in the same way, Marbach DLA Facsimile: CD-ROM or online “depends on the putting modern software to work for negotiations with the publishers”. a hybrid edition. One thing is for sure, Kessler’s di- of the 20th century, Kessler did not The feedback in response to the ary gives both researchers and the write a “journal intime”, Kamzelak volumes published so far is very general public alike an enlighten- explains. He uses the entries in his positive. The literary critic Fritz J. ing and ingenious glimpse into the diary more as a notebook, allowing Raddatz from Hamburg, for exam- past. This was surely how the Fed- panoramic vistas of time, encounters ple, praised the edition in the high- eral Minister of Finance, Peer Stein- and faces to emerge vividly. Kes- est terms, writing in the newspaper brück, felt when he spent an entire sler’s elegant style of writing and DIE ZEIT “We all, after waiting so evening reading excerpts with great his pictorial-visual language enable eagerly for years, have just cause to audience appeal from the 1916 – this historical document to become celebrate. What a pity that custom 1919 volume in the Audimax at the a notable literary work. and conventions prohibit us from Humboldt University in Berlin in

The publishers intend this to be a Marbach DLA Illustrations: sending the publishers a crate of late 2007. Just two years to go, then “hybrid edition” – an edition in print champagne. They have certainly the fi nal volume should be available and in electronic format. It “takes XMetaL according to defi ned edi- earned it.” in its red cloth binding. This diary, the form of a new reference edition” tion specifi cations. During the crea- However, the editors also had to akin to a mountain range, written and uses “the standard-setting edit- tion of this computerised edition all contend with some sharply-worded by an exceptional chronicler, a wit- ing tools of the future”, as Kamze- of the indexed terms referring to in- criticism. The literary scholar and ex- ness of the age of “old Europe” with lak emphasises. What this means in dividuals, works of art or literature, pert on Kessler, Dr. Gerhard Schus- its many facets, will then fi nally be practice, as the historian Dr. Günter and places are recorded and sent to ter, wrote several articles in the able to be explored in full and re- Riederer explains at his computer in the edition database (EDDA) imme- “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, in which he searched in greater detail. his spartan offi ce, is that the tran- diately, something that to date could railed against the concept of the edi- scription, written in Microsoft Word, by no means be taken for granted tion project as a reference edition on Dr. Rembert Unterstell is Publishing Executive is converted into XML (Extensible in editorial practice. The advantage a scientifi c basis. The hopes of the re- Editor of “german research”. Markup Language) format and then of this is that the biographical index search community that “this singular

16 processed using the programme to the diary – Kessler mentions the document would be commented line Unterstell Illustrations: . www.dla-marbach.de 17

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 Humanities

Two good mates and an intercultural friend- was then evaluated in a longitudinal young people with a friend of differ- of “being on a level playing field”. ship. A perfectly normal and everyday occur- study (questionnaire survey). As well ent ethnicity agreed with statements The effects of interethnic friend- rence – and yet with serious implications. as this, the questions of why young such as “I don’t mind being in class ships can also be observed within people make interethnic friendships, with pupils from other countries” at school classes. The studies make it have seriously rattled the preju- and the significance of these relation- the time of the first questionnaire, apparent at different levels that the diced opinions they used to have. ships to them, were also of interest. this has risen to 80.6 percent one year classroom climate is far less xeno- His friendship with Bayram was an later. Although all of the young peo- phobic if a large number of the pupils important experience for Christian. robably the most amazing result ple surveyed became more culturally have a friend of different ethnicity “I used to think that Turks in Ger- was how close the findings of tolerant over the period of the study, in the class. Interethnic friendships many just take our jobs, but now I P the qualitative interview study the positive changes were particu- have an especially beneficial effect in think it’s OK if they find work here, and the quantitative survey were. larly noticeable amongst those with classes with an even balance of pupils too.” Tina, who has been friends One key finding was that seeking and a best friend from another country. of German and of non-German origin. with Fatime for over three years, finding interethnic friendships can Social psychologists are able to of- This positive effect is not observed in had a similar experience. Thanks to primarily be traced back to common fer explanations for this significant classes with a very low proportion of Fatime she discovered that there are interests as well as shared issues and reduction in the level of prejudice pupils of either German or of non- “good people” and “bad people” on problems during adolescence. This so brought about by interethnic friend- German origin. The simple reason for both sides, Turkish or German. called criss-cross effect, with this is, for example, that in a These three teenagers are part of topics and situations that class with a proportion of im- a large group of pupils from Haupt­ specifically affect young migrants exceeding 90 per- schulen whose best friend is of for- people being significantly cent there are too few pupils eign origin. Their stereotypical im- more important than ethnic of German origin available ages and impressions of foreigners origin, turned out to be a to form friendships. have been permanently altered by key criterion for the friend- Apart from these posi- these friendships. A total of 2000 ships that formed e.g. be- tive aspects of intereth- young people of German and for- tween Tina and Fatime and nic friendships there are, eign origin were interviewed for the in Christian’s case. Also, it however, also drawbacks. “Friendships in Inter-Ethnic Net- became apparent from both The questionnaire survey works” (FRIENT) project. One find- of the studies that intereth- revealed that the preju-

Illustration: Archive ing was that four out of ten young nic friendships are neither dice tended to return af- people actively live out the inte- better nor worse than such ter interethnic friendships gration that is called for by society relationships within a single ended. Nevertheless, ado- and politics by having close friends culture. Even the answers to lescents continue to benefit with a different ethnic background. the main question posed by from their past friendships, A “Wog”? No Way! However, because there have been the study – whether intereth- since negative or exclusive no studies of the impact of intereth- nic friendships are beneficial stereotypes never returned Understanding instead of prejudice: Educational researchers are nic friendships on prejudice among for breaking down prejudice to the same level as before young people in Germany to date, – were very similar in both the friendship. Also, there is studying the value of intercultural friendships to today’s youth it was first necessary to conduct a of the surveys. The conclu- greater willingness to form qualitative interview study with 20 sion reached was that the new friendships with their young people to get a better pic- longer an interethnic friend- Illustration: Archive peers from other ethnic By Heinz Reinders Melanie has been close friends ture of the lie of the land. The key ship has existed, the more markedly Trust and closeness are decisive for the groups if young people have previ- with Serap, a girl of Turkish origin, questions posed in the interviews any prejudice that existed previously success of intercultural friendships. ously had an interethnic friendship. elanie is 15 years old and for the past year. It was difficult at with teenagers like Melanie, Tina is overcome. Or, to put it another way: If Melanie’s, Tina’s or Christian’s attends a Hauptschule, the first. “Bloody Muslims” she used to and Christian were how interethnic Young people with friends from a dif- ships. As long ago as the 1950s, the friendships should ever come to an M lowest German school track, say, wanting nothing to do with those friendships come about, what form ferent ethnic background are far less American social psychologist Gordon end then they will at least have re- in Ludwigshafen, in southwest Ger- “wogs”. Her friend Serap thought they take and, most importantly, how likely to agree with xenophobic or W. Allport wrote in his book “The considered their prejudice and any many. Twenty percent of the popu- that the Germans always felt as if they affect the attitudes of the young discriminatory statements than their Nature of Prejudice” that prejudice xenophobic attitudes they may once lation there is of foreign origin or they were superior and were arro- people themselves. Only on the basis peers who do not have any friends can be reduced by contacts that are have had, allowing them to make a descent and in Melanie’s class this gant. There came a time, though, of these interviews and the insights from a different ethnic background. characterised, amongst other things, crucial contribution towards a Ger- figure rises to well over -60 per when she realised that these preju- they provided into interethnic friend- The mirror of empiricism shows that by sharing common interests, equal man society that is more open to cent, meaning that living together dices were wrong. “It really doesn’t ships was it then possible to design while the degree of prejudice against status and voluntariness. Friendships dialogue in the future, too. with people from other countries is matter if we’re Catholic Germans or and perform a long-term study of the foreigners amongst pupils with intra- fulfil these criteria particularly well. a part of her everyday life. On top Muslim Turks”, Melanie says, “we changes in prejudice. ethnic friendships remained stable Friendship with peers from another Prof. Dr. Heinz Reinders, Dipl.-Päd., holds of this, Melanie views contact with can still be friends nevertheless”. Between 2003 and 2005, pupils at over the course of a year, xenophobic culture causes the friend’s positive the chair for Empirical Educational Studies at peers who originally come from Tina and Christian, who are both a Hauptschule in the Rhein-Neckar attitudes were significantly reduced characteristics to be attributed to the Julius-Maximilians University in Würzburg. other countries as a real advantage. 16, see things pretty much the same area were asked to complete a ques- amongst those who had a friend of their entire ethnic group. The crucial His research concentrates primarily on sociali- “I think that you can be very good way. All three of them took part in tionnaire in which they answered non-German origin. factor for this “generalisation” is that sation and education processes in childhood friends with foreigners. I’ve noticed the interview study and were inter- questions about their family envi- The openness towards foreign the friend has to be seen as in some and adolescence. that the prejudice that some people viewed on their views of intercul- ronment, their friends and their at- cultures is also seen to increase as way typical for his or her cultural Contact: University of Würzburg, Empirical have when it comes to foreigners is tural friendships. All of them agree titudes towards immigrants. The interethnic friendships develop over group and that the friendship needs Educational Studies, Am Hubland, 97074 Würz- 18 often completely unjustified.” that their friendships with Turks data collected in these interviews time. Whereas 71.6 percent of the to be pervaded by a sense of equality, burg, Germany 19

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 Life Sciences

examined the light sensory cells in the retina of the flying fox. Through an optical microscope, the research- Bright-eyed ers saw densely packed, uniformly slender light sensory cells, which they identified as rod photorecep- tors responsible for night vision. In the early 1960s, Tübingen zoologist through the Day Gerhard Neuweiler confirmed the particularly good night vision of the Fruit bats forage only at night and rest during the day. flying fox. His examinations showed that But new studies show that, thanks to special sensory cells the eyes of the flying fox are very well adapted to night vision. This in the retina, their vision is not restricted to the nighttime includes a spherical lens with large pupillary aperture, a high density of slender, light sensory cells (rods), By Brigitte Müller tween 18 and 30 degrees Celsius, a well-developed brightness dis- the animals unfold this insulating crimination ability and high light s dusk falls, the creatures skin and use it instead as a cooling sensitivity. Several years later, an of the night become active. surface. electron microscopic study of Brit- A “True” bats are able to ori- Typical of bats is their complex ish neuroanatomists suggested ent elegantly and safely in the echolocation system, which they can discrimination between rod- and dark, always on the hunt for prey. use to orient in total darkness. Fly- cone-like light sensory cells in fly- Many people find them fascinating ing foxes, on the other hand, have ing foxes. Cones are the light sen- and spooky at the same time. There no echolocation capabilities. The sory cells for daylight vision. is talk of bats in numerous myths exception to this is the rousette bat, and stories. a type of flying fox, which produces oubts on the assumption that Less shrouded in legend are the clicking sounds with its tongue, us- flying foxes possessed only direct relatives of the bats, the fly- ing it as a positioning tool. All other D night-vision-capable rods ing foxes, also known as fruit bats. species exclusively use their large were substantiated by findings Both belong to the Chiroptera, “night eyes” for orientation dur- made by the American behavioural which is the second most species- ing their nocturnal flights. On very scientist Melville Brockett Fenton in rich order of mammals, after the dark, moonless nights, flying foxes the 1980s. He observed that Indian order of rodents. Biologists have cannot forage and must go hungry. flying foxes leave their nesting plac- identified some 900 species of bats At the beginning of the 20th cen- es in the open treetops not only af- and approximately 200 species of tury, anatomists Walther Kolmer of ter dusk, but also during the day to flying foxes. While bats are found Vienna and Gustav Fritsch of Berlin either change their rest position, to nearly everywhere on earth, fly- ing foxes are encountered only in the tropics of Asia, Australia and Africa. Many flying foxes are rela- tively large, weighing between 100 and 1000 grams, with wing spans of up to two metres. Bats and fly- ing foxes use their wings not only to fly but also to regulate their tem- perature. During cold spells, they use small muscles to pull in and wrap the wings around their bod- ies like a coat. The head, nose and usually one foot are hidden below the wings, hence the inhaled air is pre-warmed. At temperatures be-

Glowing eyes: An Australian flying fox hidden in the branches of a tree. Right: Roost site of a colony of flying foxes in Australia. To sleep, the animals wrap themselves in their wings and thereby

20 Illustration: Peichl take on the appearance of tree fruit. Illustration: Peichl 21

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 Life Sciences

hide from the sunlight or to practice both rods and cones. The examined ommon diseases are often in flying with the young animals. Indian flying fox has two spectral the news. When the discus- Only in 2004 evolutionary biolo- cone types, one that contains the C sion turns to diabetes, most gists and microbiologists working visual pigment sensitive to long people think of age-related diabe- with Wen-Hsiung Li showed that wavelength light and one that con- tes, the medical term for which is two species of flying fox possess tains the pigment sensitive to short type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, the genes for a cone visual pigment wavelength light. As a result, the which occurs already in infants and sensitive to short wavelength (blue) Indian flying fox is equipped with a children, is far less well known. The light and one sensitive to long set of cones that provides so-called patients, some of whom are still wavelength (green/red) light. This dichromatic colour vision, which very young, will spend the rest of raised the question, “Are these again corresponds to the basic blue- their lives injecting insulin several genes actually used – i.e., are the print of mammals. This means that times a day. Roughly 10 percent of visual pigments produced and, if they recognise only two of the three diabetes sufferers in Germany have so, in which light sensory cells?” primary colours and cannot distin- this type of diabetes. Every year, Frankfurt neurobiologists Brigitte guish between red and green. around 2000 children contract type Müller and Leo Peichl, together with In the retinas of the other three 1 diabetes. Stephen Goodman, a field biologist genera of flying fox, or fruit bat, that Since the discovery in the 1970s from the Field Museum for Natural were studied – the rousette bat, the of a group of antibodies referred to History in Chicago, have dedicated straw-coloured fruit bat and the ep- as islet cell autoantibodies, which themselves to this question since auletted fruit bat – the blue cones attack parts of the insulin produc- 2004. Using histological methods, were missing altogether, and only ing cells, medical science has as-

they studied the cone pigments Gainesville, Florida Illustration: Dana LeBlanc, Lubee Bat Center, the green cones were present. These sumed that type 1 diabetes is an and light sensory cells of various species are, thus, colour blind, as no autoimmune disease. Subsequent- species of flying fox. They verified Close-up: The face and eyes of a Rodrigues spectral discrimination is possible ly, researchers have focused on flying fox. Bottom: Under the microscope: the production of cone pigments by The labelled light sensory cells in the retina with just one cone visual pigment. asking how the autoimmune de- using specific antibodies against of an Indian flying fox. The green cones Such a loss of the blue cones is rare struction of the insulin producing the blue-sensitive and green/red- fluoresce in green, the blue cones in red. in evolution and has, up to now, only cells in the pancreas comes about. sensitive visual pigments. been observed sporadically in mam- They suspect that a combination of All flying fox species that were mals. These findings suggest that, genetic factors and external influ- examined were from Madagascar. for the three affected genera of fruit ences is to blame. The largest species is the Indian bat, colour vision may be less impor- At what stage of life does the flying fox, which originated in Asia tant for survival than for the Indian disease affect patients, who is more and has spread across the islands of flying fox. commonly affected (genetics) and the Indian Ocean as far as Mada- During the day, the Indian flying can the disease be diagnosed be- gascar, but not as far as the African fox roosts in open treetops, where it fore the onset of clinical symptoms – continent. The second species, the is badly hidden from birds of prey. these are all questions pertaining to medium-sized straw-coloured fruit A visual early-warning system the search for triggers of this serious

bat exists only in Madagascar and may be beneficial to survival. The illness. Research work in Germany, Illustration: Superbild in Africa. rousette bat, on the other hand, pre- and especially in the context of the fers to nest in caves, and the epau- German BABYDIAB study, has de- he investigations revealed a letted fruit bat prefers the darkest livered some seminal findings. number of interesting facts. branched parts of large trees. This When it was initiated in 1989, the T The retinas of all examined could explain why these genera BABYDIAB study was the world’s Detecting Sugar species of flying fox had a high pro- have lower densities of cones than first study to follow the natural portion of rod cells. This is a pre- the Indian flying fox and, moreover, course of type 1 diabetes from birth

requisite for nocturnal navigation. Illustration: Brigitte Müller why they are colour blind. onwards in children at risk, i.e., A reflective layer found behind the The cones do not, however, aid children whose parents have type retina verified another adaptation to make up approximately 0.5 percent any of the species in looking for 1 diabetes. Among their most im- in Baby Food the nocturnal activities of the flying of all light sensory cells. Even if this food; this is because at night, the portant findings, they determined fox. This layer, “tapetum lucidum”, percentage seems low it enables flying foxes, like all mammals, must that autoimmunity against islet reflects the incident light onto the the animals to see in daylight, as rely on the more sensitive rods, cells starts already in the first two When babies contract type 1 diabetes, could it be photoreceptors for a second time, suggested by studies performed on which convey no colour informa- years of life, and that children with caused by their food? A large-scale study looks at the thereby increasing the light yield; it other animals that are active at twi- tion. This means, at night, all mam- a genetic predisposition to type 1 is known to exist in mammals that are light. For example, cats and dogs mals see only grey. diabetes are 10 times more likely role of gluten as a catalyst active during the night and evening, have only 2 to 4 percent cones. to acquire islet autoimmunity. They such as cats, dogs and deer. Even in humans, the retina contains Dr. Brigitte Müller is a scientific researcher at also found that children with early As suspected by Brigitte Müller on average only 5 percent cones. the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in islet autoantibodies are highly like- By Sandra Hummel, Maren Pflüger and Leo Peichl, in addition to nu- Thus, the retina of the flying fox Frankfurt / Main. ly to contract type 1 diabetes dur- merous rods, all flying foxes pos- is not evolutionarily unique, but is Contact: Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, ing infancy. and Anette-G. Ziegler sessed light sensory cells that con- rather in line with the general blue- Deutschordenstraße 46, 60528 Frankfurt / Main, In view of this, the search for 22 tained cone pigments. These cones print for mammals, which includes Germany triggers concentrated on factors 23

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 which have an influence during to the early administration of glu- With these and other questions effect of BABYDIÄT is that mothers early childhood. Food is the most ten and developed complete islet in mind, the interventional study breastfeed longer and smoke less A shared meal brings even prominent of these factors. The BA- autoimmunity. Very similar results BABYDIÄT started work in 2001. thanks to their participation in the infants together BYDIAB study was able to demon- were achieved by the American The aim was to prevent the occur- study. In other words, they are liv- strate for the first time that children DAISY study, which commenced rence of islet autoimmunity through ing a healthier, more conscious life, who are fed on solid food at an ear- about four years later than the BA- the systematic administration of which will have a positive overall ly stage have a significantly higher BYDIAB study. gluten-containing food in the sixth effect on the development of their risk of islet autoimmunity. A survey or twelfth month. One hundred children. of the BABYDIAB parents revealed luten is a protein contained and fifty infants were treated, all of The question also arose wheth- that 5 percent of the children were by most grains and has al- whom had both first-degree rela- er the elimination of gluten from given solid food when they were G ready been identified as tives with type 1 diabetes and the the diets of children with several less than four months old, contra- the trigger of a chronic disease of diabetes risk gene, so that the chil- islet autoantibodies could prevent ry to the recommendations of the the small intestine’s mucous mem- dren had a diabetes risk of 20 per- the onset of type 1 diabetes. In or- Research Institute of Child Nutri- brane, known as “coeliac disease”. cent. Half of the families were in- der to find out, children who had tion. Frequently, the food in ques- Curiously, the children of the BA- structed to eat gluten-free food for already been fed with gluten-con- tion was baby milk thickened with BYDIAB study exhibit a high pre- the first twelve months, while the taining food and who had a high gluten-containing grain flakes. In disposition not only to type 1 dia- other half was supposed to give the risk of developing type 1 diabetes comparison to children fed exclu- betes, but also to coeliac disease. infant gluten only after the sixth because of their islet autoantibod- sively on milk during their first four These findings raised a number month. The progress of these chil- ies were given a gluten-free diet months, these children were four of questions, which prompted the dren has since been followed for for one year. Afterwards, the chil- times as likely to develop islet au- Research Group on Diabetes in an average of 2.8 years, and a first dren were given a normal gluten- toantibodies and type 1 diabetes. Munich to establish a study pro- evaluation of the results is sched- containing diet again. This experi- Children with diabetes risk genes gramme on the role of gluten and uled for the end of 2009. ment revealed that the one-year had an especially strong reaction early children’s nutrition in the Besides preventing islet autoim- gluten-free diet did not protect the genesis of type 1 diabetes. Can munity, an examination was made, children from further development islet autoimmunity and type 1 di- using the children’s stool samples, of islet immunity or type 1 diabe- A scene from everyday life: What the

abetes be prevented by a gluten- of how solid food and especially tes. The conclusion of this study is Illustration: BABYDIAB study researchers find out about the signifi- cance of baby food for the development free diet? And is gluten really the gluten altered the intestinal flora that children with already exist- of type 1 diabetes benefits not only nutritional factor which triggers and the frequency of gastro-intes- ing islet autoimmunity cannot be be drawn from these experiments by these insulin autoantibodies in children, but also mothers and fathers. diabetes? tinal disease. A very positive side- protected from the progress of the is that the dosing of grain content the genesis of type 1 diabetes. disease by means of a short-term influenced the development of au- The findings gathered up to now gluten-free diet. toimmune diabetes in mice. How- have led to the design of the TEDDY Parallel to the interventional ever, the strongest diabetes trig- (The Environmental Determinants studies on children, studies were gering effect was observed with of Diabetes in the Young) study, the also conducted on mice with a 90 very low doses. world’s largest research consortium, percent chance of developing a Up to now, it has not been ex- which is looking at the influence of type of diabetes very similar to the plained why the immune system early childhood nutrition as well as human type 1 diabetes. The aim of attacks the body’s own insulin. It other environmental factors on the these studies was firstly to find out is conceivable that insulin anti- genesis of type 1 diabetes. In this whether it was possible to protect bodies result from a cross reaction study, over 7000 children from the the animals from autoimmune dia- with food proteins. The infant’s still U.S.A., Finland, Sweden and the betes by omitting gluten-contain- premature immune system is con- Federal Republic of Germany, who ing grains such as wheat or barley fronted by food antigens already have a heightened genetic risk of from their diet. It was ascertained in its first few months of life. At type 1 diabetes from birth on, will that the mice that were deprived of this time, the intestine has a much undergo regular checkups at short wheat and barley contracted diabe- higher permeability to larger mol- intervals. In the framework of the tes much less frequently. ecules, which means that an in- TEDDY study, it will be possible to teraction between the intestine- test whether previous findings can n a second experiment, the re- related immune system and food be confirmed in other countries with searchers asked whether re- components is possible. Some chil- different nutritional habits. I newed feeding of wheat or an dren thus had types of insulin au- isolated wheat protein increased toantibodies which were with very Dr. Sandra Hummel, M. Sc. Maren Pflüger the mice’s diabetes risk once high probability activated by the and Prof. Dr. med. Anette-G. Ziegler work again. The answer they found intestine-related immune system. at the Institute for Diabetes Research at the was that feeding wheat in a small Interestingly, these antibodies also TU Munich. quantity increased the rate of dia- exhibited a reaction against cow betes in the mice, but not the feed- milk. But further tests revealed that Contact: Prof. Dr. med. Anette-G. Ziegler, ing of isolated wheat proteins such these antibodies played no direct Diabetes Research Group, University Hospital rechts der Isar, Munich Technical University as gluten, albumin and globulin role in the progression of diabetes and Institute for Diabetes Research, Forscher- or other products such as fruit and in the children. It has therefore yet gruppe Diabetes e.V., Kölner Platz 1, 80804

24 Illustration: Superbild potatoes. The conclusion that may to be clarified what role is played Munich, Germany 25

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 The DFG in the world

science and humanities projects scientists en route to Germany. The To support the setup and expan- Welcome to Tokyo! can be.” analysis and evaluation of relevant sion of bilateral cooperation with Ja- Fischer in Delhi Maintaining and intensifying developments in Japan’s scientific pan, the DFG has, since the begin- New director at the DFG office Boost for scientific cooperation with the Far East: German-Japanese scientific coop- policy is also among its duties. ning of the year, been offering the eration is one of the DFG’s major One of the main focuses of the bi- new “Initiation and Intensification There’s been a change of leadership DFG opens office in Japanese capital concerns. “Setting up the new DFG lateral cooperation programme is in of Bilateral Cooperation” funding in New Delhi – the new head of the office in Tokyo underscores the sig- promoting young researchers, and the instrument, under which applicants DFG’s Indian office is Dr. Torsten By Eva-Maria Streier greatly from his time in Germany, nificance we ascribe to bilateral sci- Münster/Nagoya chemistry Research can, amongst other things, request Fischer. He takes over both professionally and personally. entific relationships”, emphasised Training Group is just one of a total of funding for placements of up to from Dr. Gernot Gad, irsten Spannhoff has been He was very taken with German DFG President Professor Matthias four International Research Training three months at German or over- who has headed the working at Japan’s Nagoya Uni- culture, and he waxes lyrical about a Kleiner at the opening ceremony. Groups involving Japan. The other seas partner institutes, as well as for overseas office since K versity for the last four months. weekend he spent in Berlin. Kleiner reminded the audience of Groups are active in the fields of biol- joint events such as workshops and its opening in autumn The young woman from Germany’s The short presentations given by the long history of German-Japanese ogy (Berlin/Boston/Kyoto), social sci- seminars. 2006. On the occa- Münsterland region is a doctoral re- the two young scientists as part of scientific relationships that have, he ences (Halle/Tokyo) and mathemat- The opening day concluded with sion of the handover searcher in the “Complex Chemi- a symposium to promote young re- says, created trust and respect. “To- ics (Darmstadt/Tokyo). a visit to the Meiji Shrine and a spec- Illustration: Schiffer in New Delhi, DFG cal Systems” International Research searchers won over the approximately day Japan and Germany are facing The DFG’s office in Tokyo is locat- tacular Shinto ceremony in which President Professor Matthias Kleiner Training Group, which the DFG has 170 visitors from Germany and Japan similar challenges”, he continued. ed in the German Cultural Centre, the new office was blessed. stated that the DFG will expand its been funding since the end of 2005 who had travelled to Tokyo to attend He explained that both countries where it joins the German Academic efforts to strengthen German-Indian in both Münster and Nagoya. She re- the opening of the new DFG office had set themselves the goal of creat- Exchange Service and the Fraunho­ Dr. Eva-Maria Streier is Head of the DFG’s Press relations in basic research over the ports on her personal learning experi- in mid-April. The German Speaker ing a limited number of universities fer Society. and Public Relations Office. next few years. ences with infectious enthusiasm. of the Research Training Group, re- of excellence or increasing funding “Carrying out scientific research in nowned chemist Professor Gerhard for Private Public Partnerships (PPP). a completely different environment Erker from Münster, knows from per- Professors Motoyuki Ono and gives you a whole new perspective sonal experience that this is how life- Koichi Kitazawa, presidents of both t made an impressive picture: Pro- to the Vietnam National University on your own subject and research long scientific friendships are forged. the DFG partner organisations, the I fessor Konrad Samwer, Vice Pres- Premiere in Hanoi and to the Vietnamese Academy of field”, says Spannhoff. She feels at “We give the young people free rein, Japan Society for the Promotion of ident of the DFG and a physicist Inaugural Leibniz Lecture Sciences. As the German ambas- ease in Professor Kazuyuki Tatsumi’s and many of our conferences are or- Science (JSPS) and the Japan Sci- from the University of Göttingen sador in Hanoi, Mr Rolf Schulze, working group in Nagoya and, after ganised by the doctoral researchers”, ence and Technology Agency (JST) (at right in our photo) and almost of metallic glasses. Samwer has pointed out in his opening remarks, taking an intensive three-week lan- says Erker. Every doctoral researcher respectively, delivered short wel- two metres tall, stood surrounded worked with the low-temperature however, the challenge now is not to guage course before beginning her in the Group spends six months in the coming speeches, as did the German by numerous members of his Viet­ properties of this fascinating mate- rest on the laurels of strong past re- Ambassador Hans-Joachim Daerr namese audience for more than an rial since the days of his doctoral lationships, but instead to continue and a representative from the Japa- hour as he answered ques- these into the next generation. nese Ministry for Education, Culture, tions following his speech on The odds are in favour of this: Sports, Science and Technology. The “Glass – from an Old Material Vietnam is a young country, keynote speech was given by Japa- to Modern Physics”. Solid as and there are more than 250 nese Nobel Prize winner Professor a rock, he patiently answered jointly-funded research and Makoto Kobayashi, who strongly question after question and education projects between advocated in favour of communicat- explained his experiments Germany and Vietnam. Un- ing scientific findings to society. He again. No one had anticipated til now, however, most young urged the revision of education and such a high level of interest. Vietnamese­ with an interest in upbringing in order to awaken an in- The DFG had invited guests science are still travelling to the terest in science – on an international to the world’s first Leibniz Lec- USA, England or France. scale. Future generations and the ture via its representative at “Meet, trust, exchange” global economy, he said, depend on the German Embassy in Ha- – with these words, Konrad Foto: Foto: the findings of science and research. noi, Dr. Harald Leisch. More Illustration: Streier Samwer summarised the mat- The DFG’s Japanese office is, after than 100 interested parties from thesis, and his still-palpable en- ter after meeting with his Viet- Peking, Washington/New York, Mos- universities, Vietnamese research thusiasm for the subject makes the namese physicist colleagues at the

Illustration: Ganter-Richter cow and New Delhi, the DFG’s fifth facilities, other embassies and min- DFG’s Vice President an effortlessly institute. The scientists will, he ex- Grand ceremony for office opening (from left): Director of the DFG’s Japanese office Iris foreign representative office. The di- istries attended – an encouraging persuasive ambassador for science plained, need to get to know and Wieczorek, DFG Vice President Konrad Samwer, Makoto Kobayashi, holder of the Nobel rector of the new office, Dr. Iris Wiec- response. The DFG aims to use the and the humanities. trust each other before venturing Prize in Physics, German Ambassador Hans-Joachim Daerr, JSPS President Motoyuki Ono, zorek, who spent several years living new series of Leibniz Lectures to To this day, the tremendous po- into an exchange. In this respect, DFG President Matthias Kleiner, and Hirokazu Kumekawa from the Ministry of Educa- in Japan during her studies (Japa- showcase Germany’s outstanding tential for scientists and academics German and Vietnamese mathema- tion, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. nese studies, sinology and computer contributions to science and the with German backgrounds in Viet- ticians have led the way – relations science) while working on her doctor- humanities abroad – presented by nam and the high level of Vietnam- in this field have been exemplary placement, is also, to a certain extent, exchange country, plus there are two ate, and who later published numer- winners of Germany’s most prestig- ese interest in cooperation projects for decades. getting to grips with Japanese. joint conferences a year centred on ous works on the Japanese innovation ious science award, the Gottfried with Germany provide a solid foun- It is eminently conceivable that Mazakazu Nombo, also a doctoral mutually complementary topics. system, outlined its functions: to sup- Wilhelm Leibniz Prize. dation for successful cooperation the first Leibniz Lecture has also researcher in the Research Training “We’ve learned a lot over the port German scientists and academics Konrad Samwer, winner of the in research and development. This paved the way for a fresh start in Group, has just returned from a three- past few years“, Erker continues, in expanding their cooperation with Leibniz Prize in 2004, spoke on his much was made clear during the the field of physics. month placement at the University “but this demonstrates just how their Japanese colleagues, as well as core research area, the properties visits by the small DFG delegation Eva-Maria Streier 26 of Münster. He too, has benefited successful promoting international to serve as a focal point for Japanese 27

german research 2 / 2009 german research 2 / 2009 The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft cultural studies paradigm. Transfer Units tured doctoral programme is offered by (DFG, German Research Foundation) is serve to transfer the findings of basic re- German and foreign universities. Other the central self-governing organisation search produced by Collaborative Re- funding opportunities for qualified young responsible for promoting research in Ger- search Centres into the realm of practical researchers are offered by the Heisenberg dfg.de many. According to its statutes, the DFG application by promoting cooperation be- Programme and the Emmy Noether Pro- . serves all branches of science and the hu- tween research institutes and users. gramme. In so called Reinhart Koselleck manities. The DFG supports and coordi- DFG Research Centres are an important Projects, the DFG supports especially in- nates research projects in all scientific dis- strategic funding instrument. They con- novative research undertakings by out- ciplines, in particular in the areas of basic centrate scientific research competence standing scientists and academics. and applied research. Particular attention in particularly innovative fields and create The Excellence Initiative aims to pro- is paid to promoting young researchers. temporary, internationally visible research mote top-level research and improve Researchers who work at a university or the quality of German universities and

research institution in Germany are eligi- research institutions in the long term. www ble to apply for DFG funding. Proposals Funding is provided for graduate schools, will be peer reviewed. The final assess- clusters of excellence and institutional ment will be carried out by review boards, strategies. the members of which are elected by re- The DFG also funds and initiates searchers in Germany in their individual measures to promote scientific libraries, subject areas every four years. equips computer centres with comput- The DFG distinguishes between the fol- ing hardware, provides instrumentation lowing programmes for research funding: for research purposes and conducts peer In the Individual Grants Programme, any reviews on proposals for scientific instru- researcher can apply for financial assistance mentation. On an international level, the for an individual research project. Priority DFG has assumed the role of Scientific Programmes allow researchers from vari- Representative to international organisa- ous research­ institutions and laboratories tions, coordinates and funds the German to cooperate within the framework of a set contribution towards large-scale interna- topic or project for a defined period of time, tional research programmes, and supports each working at his/her respective­ research international scientific relations. institution. A Research­ Unit is a longer-term Another important role of the DFG is to collaboration between several researchers provide policy advice to parliaments and who generally work together on a research public authorities on scientific issues. A topic at a single location. In Central Research large number of expert commissions and Facilities there is a particular concentration committees provide the scientific back- of personnel and equipment that is required ground for the pass­ing of new legislation, to provide scientific and technical services. primarily in the areas of environmental

Collaborative Research Centres are Illustration: Querbach protection and health care. long-term university research centres in The legal status of the DFG is that of an which scientists and academics pursue am- priorities at research universities. association under private law. Its member bitious joint interdisciplinary research un- Research Training Groups are univer- organisations include research universities, dertakings. They are generally established sity training programmes established for major non-university research institutions, for a period of twelve years. In addition to a specific time period to support young such as the Max Planck Society, the Fraun- the classic Collaborative Research Centres, researchers by actively involving them in hofer Society and the Leibniz Association, which are concentrated at one location and research work. This focusses on a coher- the Academies of Sciences and Humanities open to all subject areas, the DFG also of- ent, topically defined, research and study and a number of scientific associations. In fers several programme variations. Tran- programme. Re­search Training Groups are order to meet its re­sponsibilities, the DFG sregional Collaborative Research Centres designed to promote the early independ- receives funding from the German federal allow various locations to co­operate on one ence of doctoral students and intensify government and the federal states, as well topical focus. Cultural Studies Research international exchange. They are open to as an annual contribution from the Donors’ Centres are de­signed to support the tran- international participants. In International Association for the Promotion of Sciences sition in the humanities to an integrated Research Training Groups, a jointly struc- and Humanities in Germany. n early-career re- searcher? These A children accom- Impressum panied their parents to this year's DFG Emmy

german research is published by the Deutsche Forschungsgemein- Editor-in-chief: Marco Finetti (responsible for content); Noether meeting in Pots- Illustration: Ausserhofer schaft (DFG, German Research Foundation); Publisher: WILEY-VCH Publishing Executive Editor: Dr. Rembert Unterstell; dam. The DFG is strongly commited to supporting the Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, P.O. Box 10 11 61, D-69541 Weinheim; Copy Editors: Stephanie Henseler, Angela Kügler-Seifert; compatibility of scientific careers and family life at Ger- Annual subscription price: € 61.00 (Europe), US $ 66.00 (all other Translation: SciTech Communications GmbH, Heidelberg; man universities and research institutions. countries) including postage and handling charges. Prices are exclusive Printed by: Bonner Universitäts-Buchdruckerei (BUB); of VAT and subject to change. Address of editorial staff: DFG, Press printed on chlorine-free bleached paper with 50 % recycling fibres. and Public Relations Office, Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn; [email protected]; www.dfg.de ISSN 0172-1518 28

german research 2 / 2009