The exhibition at Freiberg University Library on the history of IG Farben explores the company’s origins from the mid-19th century onwards, as well as its role before, during and after the two world wars up to the present day – whilst also shedding light on the origins of a travelling student exhibition from the 1990s and 2000s.

It demonstrates how students and chemistry student councils committed themselves to historical reappraisal despite resistance at universities. The focus is on the interconnections between the chemical industry, morality and politics, but also on the question of social responsibility among academics – then as now. 

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Adolf Ledebur - 150 Years of Ferrous Metallurgy in Freiberg (20 November 2025 - | 1st floor, foyer)

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Adolf Ledebur's (1837-1906) appointment to the newly created Chair of Ferrous Metallurgy at the Freiberg Mining Academy. With his work, Ledebur established independent teaching and research in this field and shaped the development of today's Institute of Iron and Steel Technology.

The exhibition highlights Ledebur's work as an academic teacher, his scientific work with international appeal and the history of the impact and reception of his work. Selected items from his estate and from the former VDEh Library, which has been kept at Freiberg University Library since 2020, are on display.

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Montanistic river gold coinage (3 August 2022 - 16 January 2023)

The University Library's last exhibition in the "old walls" on Agricolastrasse is a particularly high-calibre exhibition - in the truest sense of the word.

It is dedicated to Saxon gold deposits and montanistic gold coinage. Two events were decisive.

Firstly, the completion of a new Kataloges zu Flussgold und montanistischen Goldgeprägen durch Herrn Dr. Lothar Schumacher and secondly the 250th anniversary of the death of Johann Gottlieb Bidermann (1705- 1772), who as rector of the Freiberg grammar school compiled and published the first comprehensive, German-language numismatic catalogue of mining coinage "Von Bergwercks-Münzen".

Montanistic river gold coinage (3 August 2022 - 16 January 2023)

The University Library's last exhibition in the "old walls" on Agricolastrasse is a particularly high-calibre exhibition - in the truest sense of the word.

It is dedicated to Saxon gold deposits and montanistic gold coinage. Two events were decisive.

Firstly, the completion of a new Kataloges zu Flussgold und montanistischen Goldgeprägen durch Herrn Dr. Lothar Schumacher and secondly the 250th anniversary of the death of Johann Gottlieb Bidermann (1705- 1772), who as rector of the Freiberg grammar school compiled and published the first comprehensive, German-language numismatic catalogue of mining coinage "Von Bergwercks-Münzen".