Kick-off of the Institute’s Anniversary Celebrations

On 18 May 2026 at 3:00 PM, Maryam Blumenthal, Hamburg’s Senator for Science, Research, and Equality, and Professor Ralf Michaels, Managing Institute Director, will officially launch the celebration of our 100-year anniversary.

Program:

• 3:00 – 3:30 PM
  Arrival & welcome coffee
  
  
• 3:30 – 4:00 PM
  Welcome and opening remarks 
  Ralf Michaels 
  Maryam Blumenthal 
  
  
• 4:00 – 4:45 PM
  Lecture by Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Reinhard Zimmermann, Director Emeritus at the Institute: "Der Nachfolger: Leben, Werk und Wirken von Ernst Heymann (1870–1946)" (in German)
  In his lecture, Reinhard Zimmermann will take a close look at the life, work and impact of Ernst Heymann, the second Director of our predecessor Institute, the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Foreign and International Private Law. Heymann assumed the leadership of the Institute after its founding Director, Ernst Rabel, had been forced to resign in 1937 in light of the national socialist race laws.
  
  
• 4:45 – 5:15 PM
  Q&A and Discussion 
  
  
• 5:15 – 6:00 PM
  Reception with the opening of the anniversary exhibition Ralf Michaels
  
  

• Following the event: Guided tours of the exhibition and library ​​
  
  

Please register for this event by 13 May 2026 at the following LINK.

Further information about our centenary activities, including regular updates, can be found at www.mpipriv.de/100years.