11 Results
Map and text

Commemorating Copernicus

Since the 19th century, numerous Copernicus monuments have been built around the world. Even today, new sites of remembrance honoring the astronomer emerge, especially in Poland. Each site has a unique agenda, narrative, and background.
Introduction

Copernicus: A contested European legacy

Over the past two centuries, discussions about Copernicus have played a key role in German-Polish relations. The years commemorating the anniversaries of the astronomer’s birth and death crystallized the debates.
Map and text

Important locations in Copernicus’ life

Nicolaus Copernicus rose to fame due to his interest in the stars. But where did he spend his life on Earth? Most of his sites of activity are found in present-day Poland, and many of them also relate to German history.
Map and text

In Copernicus’ name

These days, there are a whole host of organizations in Poland, Germany, and the USA bearing the name Copernicus. Although they all relate to the same historical person, they have quite different goals.
Introduction

Introduction

Nicolaus Copernicus was cautious about sharing his conviction that the planets rotate around the Sun, and only did so over the course of several decades. He was reluctant to cause a major turning point or revolution – and, initially, his teachings were not seen in this way either.
Introduction

The Copernican Revolution – a European legacy?

The 550th anniversary of Nicolaus Copernicus’ birth invites us to look at the mark that the astronomer left on the world. And it is also an opportunity to look more closely at how Copernicus has been viewed in the past and how these anniversaries have been treated differently in different periods of history.
Map and text

The Copernican network

Despite living in relative isolation, Copernicus maintained a number of significant contacts during his time as a scholar and cleric.
Astronomers from many parts of Europe carried on his work after his death.
Background article

The Copernicus anniversary year of 1973 in East Germany

In East Germany, the Copernicus anniversary was marked by a range of ceremonies and receptions. The aim was to highlight positive relations between Germany and Poland, with Copernicus being presented as a pioneer for the socialist state’s worldview.
Background article

The Copernicus anniversary year of 1973 in West Germany

In West Germany, the Copernicus anniversary was coordinated and organized centrally. A lot of effort was put in to ensure that the celebrations would have a wide-reaching impact. Organizations representing those displaced from East and West Prussia played a special role in the celebrations.
Background article

The Copernicus anniversary year of 1973 in the Polish People’s Republic

The Polish celebrations to mark the anniversary of Copernicus’ birth in 1973 were widespread and impacted science, the general public, and international relations. An expensive feature movie about the life of Copernicus was one of the main features of the celebrations.
Introduction

The many names of Nicolaus Copernicus

What is the name of the astronomer who introduced the heliocentric worldview? In principle, there can only be one answer to this question. But, when it comes to the actual spelling of the name Copernicus, it varies massively depending on where you look.