History

The MFO was founded in 1944 shortly before the end of World War II. The development and circumstances during the early years have been subject to historic research. To receive an insight, the following articles may be of interest:

• Volker Remmert: Das Mathematische Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach: Vom "Reichsinstitut für Mathematik" zur internationalen "sozialen Forschungsinfrastruktur" (1944–1960er Jahre). In: Pichler, R., Heinze, T. (eds) Organisationsformen der Erkenntnisgewinnung. Organization & Public Management. Springer VS, Wiesbaden (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-44331-3_4
• Volker Remmert: "Retter" von Oberwolfach (1945): Szolem Mandelbrojt und John Todd. In: Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach: 75 Jahre - Festschrift zum Jubiläum. Oberwolfach (2022).
• Volker Remmert: Oberwolfach in the French Occupation Zone : 1945 to early 1950s, in: Revue d'histoire des mathématiques, Vol. 26 (2020), p. 121-172, DOI: 10.24033/rhm.230.
• Maria Remenyi: Oberwolfach im August 1949: Deutsch-Französische Sommerfrische, Mathematische Semesterberichte Vol. 58, No. 1 (2011), p. 1-12.
• Volker Remmert: Die Deutsche Mathematiker Vereinigung im Dritten Reich: Fach- und Parteipolitik, in: DMV-Mitteilungen Vol. 12 (2004), p. 223-245.
• Allyn Jackson: Oberwolfach, yesterday and today, in: Notices of the AMS Vol. 47, No. 7 (2000), p. 758-765.
• Marjorie Senechal: Mathematical Communities - Oberwolfach 1949-1964, in: The Mathematical Intelligencer Vol. 20, No. 4 (1998), p. 17-24.

History timetable

• September 1st, 1944: Foundation of the MFO, located in the old castle
• June 17th, 1959: Foundation of the Gesellschaft für Mathematische Forschung e.V., the mathematical society running the MFO
• October 10th, 1967: Inauguration of the guest house of the MFO, a gift of the VolkswagenStiftung
• June 13th, 1975: Inauguration of the library and meetings building of the MFO which replaced the old castle, also a gift of the VolkswagenStiftung
• May 26th, 1989: Inauguration of the extension of the guest building
• 1995: Establishment of the research programme "Research in Pairs"
• January 1st 2005: The MFO becomes a member of the Leibniz-Gemeinschaft
• 2007: Establishment of the post-doctoral programme "Oberwolfach Leibniz Fellows"
• May 5th, 2007: Inauguration of the library extension, a gift of the Klaus Tschira Stiftung and the VolkswagenStiftung
• 2005 - 2010: General restoration of the guest house and the library building