Wilhelm von Humboldt is one of the greatest and most influential figures in the cultural history of Germany. The focal points of his work were in his occupation with interrelations in cultural studies such as difficulties in education, political theory, the analytical examination of language, literature and art, as well as in active political participation as a great reformer of the school and higher education system and as a Prussian diplomat.

His brother, Alexander von Humboldt, natural explorer of international standing was regarded as a co-founder of geography as an empirical science. His exploratory travels lead him beyond Europe to Latin America, the USA and to central Asia. He personally carried out scientific field research in the fields of physics, chemistry, geology, mineralogy, volcanology, botany, oceanography and astronomy amongst other fields and also into issues of economic geography, ethnology and demography. He attained extraordinary popularity in Germany primarily with the ‘Ansichten der Natur’ (Views of Nature) and ‘Kosmos’ (Cosmos). His legendary reputation, even in his lifetime, is clearly expressed in the reverential titles given to him such as ‘the second Columbus’, ‘the scientific discoverer of America’ or ‘the prince of science’.