Copenhagen meets Göttingen: quantum mechanics celebration in the young theater!

Copenhagen meets Göttingen: quantum mechanics celebration in the young theater!

A remarkable occasion is being celebrated in Göttingen: the Junge Theater Göttingen and the SUB Göttingen are commemorating 100 years of quantum mechanics. On this momentous date, October 10, 2025, the premiere of Michael Frayn's play “Copenhagen” will take place at 8 p.m. This piece highlights the dialogue between the two physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg, who laid the foundations of quantum mechanics through their groundbreaking work in the 1920s and 1930s. The story takes place in 1941, when Heisenberg visits Copenhagen, and deals with the difficult political conditions at the time and the gradually declining friendship between the two scientists.

The production will be staged under the direction of Tobias Sosinka and with dramaturg Christian Vilmar. On stage are the actors Agnes Giese, Jan Reinartz and Jens Tramsen, who bring the complex relationships and emotional background of the two physicists to life. In addition to the premiere, there will also be further performances of the piece on October 17th and 24th, November 7th and 22nd and December 13th and 29th, 2025.

A deeper insight into the quantum mechanics

To celebrate quantum mechanics, a series of lectures entitled “Footnotes from Göttingen” is also being offered by the SUB Göttingen. This series aims to give viewers a deeper insight into the history and significance of quantum mechanics. An introductory talk entitled “Stairs and Cats” will explain the basics of quantum mechanics, while another talk “Hilbert's (T)Space and Quantization” will cover various deeper topics related to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. Those interested can see originals from the university library's stacks and find out about the development of quantum physics.

The events will take place in the Heyne Hall of the SUB, with a maximum number of participants of 20 people per lecture. Registration is required to reserve places. Particularly noteworthy are the two free events on November 20th and December 12th, 2025, with further dates being planned. This offers an excellent opportunity to explore the topics of quantum mechanics and their historical significance for the city of Göttingen.

The Copenhagen interpretation in focus

What does the Copenhagen interpretation do so centrally for our view of quantum mechanics? It describes a set of beliefs about the importance of quantum mechanics developed by sizes such as Niels Bohr and Heisenberg. This interpretation emphasizes that quantum mechanical events are intrinsically indeterministic and that our most important tools for describing this reality are likely predicting how they are provided by the Born rule. One of the central ideas is the principle of complementarity that says that particles cannot always be observed in their complementary properties at the same time, which leads to impressive but also confusing knowledge. For example, the wave-particle duality in experiments such as the double gap attempt becomes clear.

Another exciting aspect of the Copenhagen interpretation is the debate that has arisen around them. Physicists like Albert Einstein criticized them and considered them incomplete, while others, such as Bohr and Heisenberg, saw their views in the physics of the 1930s and 1940s in general. These philosophical discussions about the nature of reality and the role of the observer have not only shaped quantum mechanics, but also influenced our understanding of knowledge and knowledge to this day.

The combination of theater and science in Göttingen is an exciting example of the creative examination of complex topics. Be there when history, physics and art come together in this unique production and experience quantum mechanics in a completely new way.