The very first german scientific institutions in Spain. The beginning of the institutional cooperation in the early 20th century

Abstract

This article describes different German initiatives to institutionalize the scientific exchange with Spain during the interwar period. From the beginning these efforts were focused on the cities of Barcelona and Madrid and started up in 1923 with the inauguration in Barcelona of the Centro de Estudios Alemanes y de Intercambio, followed two years later by the Centro de Intercambio Intelectual Germano-Español. Both institutions were devoted to fomenting interest in German language and culture present in Spain in order to strengthen Spanish-German relationships in all contexts, including the administrative management of academic exchange. In addition, another relevant initiative would enter the scene in 1927: the Görres Institut in Madrid, motivated more by its Catholic roots and its dedication to research itself than to the exchange of information or scientists. In this way, along with other scientific institutions in the following years, a close scientific collaboration between both countries was made possible until the Spanish Civil War and the subsequent World War put an end to promising endeavors.