The initiator of the almost 50-year-old garden ensemble is the philosopher, anthropologist and artist

Prof Rudolf Prinz zur Lippe, (*1937-2019)

1974 to 2002 holder of the Chair of Social Philosophy and Aesthetics at our Institute

In his almost 30 years of teaching and research at our Institute, Rudolf zur Lippe shaped the subject and the public perception of the University in terms of philosophy and aesthetics. Prof zur Lippe was a student of the philosopher and Zen teacher Karlfried von Dürckheim. After studying medieval and modern history in Heidelberg and Paris, he obtained his doctorate in 1965. In 1969, he began his philosophically oriented "History of the Body in Modernity" under Theodor W. Adorno at the University of Frankfurt, where he habilitated in 1973. As a painter, theatre director and stage designer, Rudolf zur Lippe's artistic work dealt with topics such as sustainability, mastery of nature, democracy, plural economy, human dignity and sensual consciousness. In 1982, he founded the "Institute for Practical Anthropology" and created the artistic-scientific exhibition "Geometrisation of Man". This was shown in a travelling exhibition in Germany and internationally. In 1989, zur Lippe initiated the "Karl Jaspers Lectures on Questions of Time" at the University of Oldenburg , which have been held annually ever since, with international colloquia, public lectures and seminars. Guests and guest professors have included Jürgen Habermas, Ivan Illich, H.G. Gadamer and Jeanne Hersch.

History of the Garden of Silence (Prinzenpark)

In 1974, Prof Dr Rudolf zur Lippe laid out a Zen garden at our Institute, the Garden of Silence (also known as Prinzenpark), with light-coloured gravel paths, old gravestones set into the grass, a wooden walkway running around it and an ensemble of trees.

As the holder of the "Aesthetics" chair, it was zur Lippe's idea to transfer the "theory of sensory perception" into practice in a creative way.

For us, the old, well-tended and contemplative Garden of Silence is both a reminder of the philosopher and artist Rudolf zur Lippe and an impulse for posterity to do something with the place, to work with it. An important part of the historical identity of our Institute.

In the early 2010s, the garden was jeopardised by planned renovations. Teaching staff and students successfully campaigned for its preservation with an artistic poster campaign and with the support of Prof. zur Lippe.

The Garden of Silence today