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The Fritz Thyssen Stiftung is a renowned private science foundation founded in 1959 and based in Cologne, which is dedicated to promoting young scientists and supporting outstanding research projects at universities and research institutions, primarily in Germany[1][2][4]. It was founded by Amélie Thyssen and her daughter Anita Gräfin Zichy-Thyssen to preserve the memory of August and Fritz Thyssen and to sustainably strengthen science[2][3].
The foundation's central mission is the direct promotion of science with a special focus on young scientists who drive innovative research after completing their doctorates. The foundation focuses on the financial support of clearly defined research projects with a predictable scope and timeframe. It also supports scientific conferences, awards scholarships and supports international scholarship and exchange programs. The publication of research results is also supported to a limited extent. As one of the first major private foundations in the Federal Republic of Germany after the Second World War, it exclusively pursues the purpose of promoting science and adheres to strict funding exclusions, for example for study funding, didactic projects or charitable projects[1][3][4].
The funding areas of the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung are divided in particular into "History, Language and Culture", "State, Economy and Society" and "Medicine and Natural Sciences". The largest part of the financial resources (over half) flows into projects from the field of history, language and culture, while the other fields receive around 40% of the funding[4]. This focus shows the foundation's broad scientific commitment beyond core topics in the humanities and social sciences to include scientific research.
Sustainability in the conventional sense as an environmental or social initiative is not explicitly stated, but the foundation is an important impetus for long-term scientific excellence and interdisciplinary research through its promotion of young scientists and international networking. It values international cooperation and promotes the inclusion of foreign scientists. A particular example of this is the "International Humanities Prize", awarded jointly with the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels and the Federal Foreign Office, which supports translations of selected humanities works into English and thus strengthens international scientific exchange[1][4].
The Fritz Thyssen Stiftung does not operate its own research or teaching facilities, but acts as a funding body. It actively accepts suggestions and project proposals, redefines the focus of its funding every year and organizes scientific symposia, lecture series and model funding programs for particularly qualified young scientists. This structured funding helps to permanently strengthen excellent research and support young scientists at an early stage[2][4].
In summary, the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung is an important promoter of scientific research in Germany, which in particular supports young talents and promotes the development of innovative research projects in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences with a strong international focus. Through targeted funding measures, collaborations and the organization of scientific events, the foundation makes a significant contribution to quality assurance and networking within the scientific community. The commitment to scientific excellence, the promotion of young talent and international cooperation are at the heart of its actions.
