A 
a 
) 
‘of the evening a 
SEPTEMBER 25, 1913]| 
NATURE 
99 
THE “GESELLSCHAFT URANIA” OF | 
BERLIN. 
pa illustrated article on the ‘Gesellschaft 
Urania” of Berlin, by Dr. P. Schwahn, 
appeared in the June issue of Himmel und Erde. 
On April 29 the society celebrated its twenty- 
fifth anniversary, when a distinguished audience | 
gathered in the large theatre of the Urania build- 
ing in the Tauben-strasse. Among those present 
were representatives from the various state de- 
partments of Germany and from the municipality 
of Berlin; members of the professorial staff of the 
University and the Charlottenburg Technical 
Institute ; repre- 
sentatives of the 
various learned 
societies of Ger- 
many and many 
-members of the 
leading __ technical 
and manufacturing 
firms of Germany. 
During the course 
congratulatory tele- 
gram was_ read 
from the Kaiser. 
The proceedings 
were opened by 
Prof. Foerster, who 
gave a brief histori- 
cal survey of the 
origin and work of 
the society during 
the last twenty-five 
years, and a lecture 
was delivered by 
Prof. Donath, the 
director of the 
physics department 
of the institution, 
in the course of 
which some of the 
most recent results 
and _ applications 
which have arisen 
from the classical 
discoveries of Hertz 
and of Réntgen 
were demonstrated. 
The society was 
formed in 1888, at a time when the applica- 
tions of electrical science were beginning to 
excite the interest of the general public. Its 
object was the foundation of 
institution which should foster and stimulate the 
interest of the people in scientific knowledge and 
acquaint them with the more important advances 
and applications of science. Among the origina- 
tors of the scheme were Werner von Siemens and 
Prof. Wilhelm Foerster, the director of the Royal 
Observatory of Berlin. The Minister of Educa- 
tion expressed his sympathy with the scheme and 
through his kindly interest a suitable building site 
was obtained in the Ausstellungs Park, near the 
NO. 2291, VOL. 92] 
an educational | 
Lehrte Bahnhof. By the aid of public subscrip- 
tions the building “Urania” was erected and 
equipped. The building contained a_ lecture 
theatre, galleries for the exhibition of scientific 
apparatus, and an astronomical platform. 
The first director of the institution was Dr. 
Wilhelm Meyer, and the popular lectures on 
astronomical and geological subjects which he 
organised proved a great source of attraction. 
| Urania became a popular scientific theatre and 
was visited by the residents of Berlin with as 
much eagerness as the opera house or the theatre. 
The institution, however, did not limit its activities 
' to the provision of popular lectures; systematic 
The ‘‘ Urania” Observatory, in the Ausstellungs Park. 
evening courses in physics, electrotechnics, chem- 
istry, biology, and astronomy were arranged, and 
from time to time eminent men of science both 
of Germany and other countries were invited to 
lecture on special subjects. , 
The need of more extended premises was soon 
felt, and as the Ausstellungs Park was somewhat 
difficult of access, it was thought desirable to 
obtain a site in the centre of the town. Conse- 
quently, in 1896, the operations of the society 
were transferred to a much larger edifice in the 
Tauben-strasse and designated “Urania.” The 
old building in the Ausstellungs Park, now known 
as the “ Urania Sternwarte,” passed into the hands 
