Founded in 1457 the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg stands before us. A testament to centuries of scholarship and innovation. This venerable institution boasts a rich history. It began as Albrechts University with four faculties. Theology philosophy medicine and law formed its core. It was the second university in Habsburg territory after Vienna. Freiburg quickly attracted many students. Humanists like Geiler von Kaysersberg Johann Reuchlin and Jakob Wimpfeling studied here. Ulrich Zasius’s law lectures made Freiburg a center for humanist jurisprudence.
Even Erasmus of Rotterdam spent time in Freiburg though not teaching at the university. The university thrived for a time. Its buildings expanded notably housed in the Altes Collegium. This building is now the new town hall. The Counter-Reformation marked a period of decline. To counter reformist ideas two faculties were handed to the Jesuits in 1620. The Jesuits also built their own college and church now the University Church.
Freiburg’s fate intertwined with broader European events. In 1679 Freiburg became French territory. Louis XIV gave the Jesuits greater control. A bilingual educational program was initiated. The faculty however fled to Konstanz from 1686 to 1698. Empress Maria Theresa’s reforms revitalized the university. Admission rules changed. Natural Sciences and Public Administration were added. The university became a state institution despite Church protests. The suppression of the Jesuits in 1773 further reduced Church influence. Johann Georg Jacobi became the first Protestant professor in 1784.
Freiburg’s integration into the Grand Duchy of Baden in 1805 initially threatened its existence. Grand Dukes considered closing it. But Ludwig I saved the university in 1820. In gratitude the university adopted its current name Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg. The late 19th and early 20th centuries witnessed significant growth. The university’s reputation attracted leading scholars. Economist Adolph Wagner historians Georg von Below and Friedrich Meinecke and jurists Karl von Amira and Paul Lenel are among those who contributed. In 1900 it became the first German university to admit female students.
The Nazi era saw the university undergo Gleichschaltung. Jewish faculty were forced out. After World War II it reopened. New buildings were constructed. The Freiburg School’s ordoliberal ideas influenced post-war economic policies. The university continued to expand. By the 1980s it had 20000 students. The university continues to thrive today. It is a leading research and teaching institution. Its impressive facilities include a large modern library. Its history lives on a legacy of scholarship and innovation reflected in its prestigious ranking nationally and internationally.