Draft:Heidelberger Kreis (Student Society)

Heidelberger Kreis (Heidelberg Circle) is a student society at the University of Heidelberg that hosts a keynote and discussion everything week during the academic year with the goal to broaden the students' horizon.

History
After the end of the Second World War, a group of students who returned to Heidelberg formed weekly discussion groups to process their experiences and exchange their own visions for the future. The official founding date was May 15, 1946. In the summer semester of 1946, lectures were held for the first time. The resulting circle of friends laid down common goals for the evenings: political and religious neutrality, the establishment of democratic structures, and the promotion of European unity. In 1947, the circle adopted a formal constitution to ensure its continuation. The form of living together in a student association was modified by striving to combine elements of student tradition with the demands for a modern, cosmopolitan, democratic society. There was a conscious decision to avoid a strictly hierarchical system, and they clearly distanced themselves from the classical elements of a fraternity.

In the following years, friendly relations developed with similarly structured societies at other universities, such as the Bremen Society in Freiburg, the Göttinger Society Max Eyth, and the Bonn Circle. In 1955, a common umbrella organization, called the Präsidialconvent, was founded. In the 1960s, as the influences of the war and the founding generation diminished, they increasingly devoted themselves to other topics and structured the lecture evenings based on current issues and the interests of the members. From the mid-1970s onwards, female students were also admitted to the circle. The society is located in a house at Friesenberg 4-6 in Heidelberg, right underneath Heidelberg Castle. Over the years, the society has organised an annual Summer Ball and Christmas gala as well as several student parties.

Membership
The society has 5-7 active members at a time and selects 2-3 new members every year. New members are usually approached by society members, however it is not know how new members are being selected. Active members organise the weekly events and enjoy the privilege of dining together with the guests. Former members include leading figures in politics, business and entertainment as well as members of Germany's noble families, such as the von Bismarck Family.

Former Guests
Former guests include leading figures from the worlds of business, politics, entertainment, academia and sports.
 * 1954: Fritz Rau (Jazz musician)
 * 1999: Frank Schirrmacher (Pupblisher of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)
 * 2004: Philipp Freiherr von Boeselager (attempted the assasination of Adolf Hitler)
 * 2008: Hilmar Kopper (former CEO of Deutschen Bank)
 * 2010: Franziska Brantner (Member of the European and German parliament)
 * 2010: Steffen Seibert (Journalist and spokesperson of the German governemnt; German ambassador in Israel)
 * 2012: Harald zur Hausen (Nobel prize in medicine)
 * 2014: Anne Peters (Law Professor)
 * 2014: Donata Freifrau Schenk v. Schweinsberg (Vice President of the German Red Cross)
 * 2017: Bernhard Schlink (Author and lawyer)
 * 2021: Susi Erdmann (Seven-time world champion in luge and two-man bobsleigh)
 * 2021: Florian Toncar (German lawyer and politician)
 * 2021: Richard Oetker (German billionaire heir and businessman)
 * 2022: Alena Buyx (Chair of the German Ethics Council)
 * 2022: Dominik v. Achten (CEO ofHeidelberg Materials)
 * 2022: Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (Politician, Chair of the Defense Committee of the Bundestag)
 * 2023: Martin Brudermüller (CEO of BASF SE)