100 years of the Frobenius Institute: Celebrate with us in Frankfurt!

100 years of the Frobenius Institute: Celebrate with us in Frankfurt!

The Frobenius Institute for Cultural Anthropological Research at Goethe University in Frankfurt will celebrate its 100th anniversary in May 2025. Founded on May 16, 1925, it has established itself as an internationally recognized research center. It was founded by the renowned ethnologist Leo Frobenius (1873–1938), who previously founded the “Africa Archive” in Berlin and the “Research Institute for Cultural Morphology” in Munich. Frobenius’ diverse work and expeditions have laid the foundation for the institute’s focus on Africa-specific cultures. This happened, among other things, through his twelve expeditions to Africa between 1904 and 1935.

The city of Frankfurt acquired Frobenius' collections and provided him with space in the Palais Thurn und Taxis. Frobenius also received a teaching position in cultural and ethnographic studies at the University of Frankfurt, where he was appointed honorary professor in 1932. In 1934 he took over the management of the Municipal Museum of Ethnology.

Research and developments over time

After Frobenius' death in 1938, the institute was named after him. The original research focus was on African cultures and history. Frobenius viewed cultures as organic beings, which is now considered controversial. His ambivalent role during the imperial and Nazi eras is also worth mentioning; he received support from Nazi Party members but stuck to his scientific principles.

Adolf Ellegard Jensen took over the management of the institute in 1946 and continued until 1965. Carl August Schmitz, Eike Haberland and Karl-Heinz Kohl followed in management. Roland Hardenberg has been director since 2017 and has expanded the regional focus to include South Asia and Central Asia. The institute has always strived to promote scientific dialogue and cooperation with the countries of origin of its research.

Anniversary events and future outlook

Comprehensive events are being offered to mark the anniversary. On May 17th, guided tours of the exhibition “Country bin pull’em” will take place in the Weltkulturen Museum Frankfurt. A tour of the Frobenius Institute's collections and archives will be organized on May 22nd, followed by the opening of the poster exhibition “Our research projects in pictures” on June 6th. Prior registration is required for the events, which is possible via the institute's website.

Frobenius's extensive collection of ethnographic data and oral traditions as well as the documentation of African rock art, which he considered a "picture book of cultural history", continue to be of great importance. These collections and the results of his research are located in the archives of the Frobenius Institute, which is considered an important reference for the protagonists of 'Négritude'. His publications in over 50 books and numerous articles are still relevant.

In summary, the Frobenius Institute, with its rich heritage and vision of the future, plays an important role in cultural anthropology. The upcoming 100th anniversary celebrations underscore the Institute's continued relevance and influence in the scientific community, as well puk.uni-frankfurt.de and frobenius-institut.de report.