When you first hear the name Potsdam, you are reminded of the city of palaces and gardens, Prussian traditions and virtues, and the surrounding countryside filled with forests and lakes. It is less well-known that Potsdam has the highest density of academic and scientific facilities in Germany.
Research has a long tradition in Potsdam and is characterized by activities in the fields of astrophysics, geodetic surveying, and gravitation research. When the first special astrophysical observatory in the world was founded in 1874, it was the birth of the research site on Telegrafenberg hill. In 1924, the solar observatory in the Einstein tower on Telegrafenberg hill was completed. It was to provide evidence for the predicted effects resulting from Einstein's general theory of relativity.
In 1892, the Royal Prussian Geodetic Institute moved from Berlin to Potsdam. In the same year, the meteorological-geomagnetic observatory was founded on Telegrafenberg hill. Among other activities, both institutes carried out the preparation and support operations for many expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctica polar regions.
Other highlights of the 120-year long tradition of research were the determining of the absolute weight of the planet earth, and its assumption as the internationally recognized reference value in 1909, and the commissioning of the first two-quartz clocks for the official time service in 1933.
Potsdam also remained an important scientific location during East German (DDR) times. Among others, the Central Institute for Agricultural Technology of the DDR (today's Institute for Agricultural Technology Bornim e.V.) was established here in 1951, and was followed by the Shipbuilding Research Institute in 1953.
After the German re-unification in 1990, the research system was re-structured, the result being additional important research institutions settling in Potsdam, including disciplines of the humanities and social sciences.
In relation to its long involvement in research, the history of Potsdam as a location for universities and colleges is somewhat more recent. In 1948 the State Technical College was founded, which became a Pedagogic College in 1952, and was then included in the newly-founded Potsdam University in 1991.
In 1954 the German College for Film Arts was founded - this is now the Konrad Wolf Technical College for Film and Television. The Potsdam Technical College was founded in 1991 as the third technical college then existing in Potsdam.
