Name: Exhibition "Eduard Rosenthal – 12 Views on His Life"
Start: 2026-09-22T21:30:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-13T21:30:00+02:00
Location: Ernst-Abbe-Bücherei

Eduard Rosenthal in focus: An exhibition about memory, law, and Jena's cultural history

The exhibition "Eduard Rosenthal – 12 Views on His Life" highlights one of the defining personalities of Jena in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the Ernst-Abbe Library Jena, a compact art experience unfolds from twelve roll-ups that makes visible the life, work, and impact of the lawyer, cultural promoter, and co-founder of the historical reading hall movement. The presentation is part of a series of events to mark the 100th anniversary of Rosenthal's death and begins with a festive opening on September 22, 2026, at 7:30 PM. ([jenakultur.de](https://www.jenakultur.de/de/1050800?template_id=5951&utm_source=openai))

Twelve views on a shaping biography

The exhibition setup follows a clear, didactically strong curation: twelve stations condense a biography that intertwines legal history, urban culture, and civic engagement. Rosenthal contributed to the drafting of the founding statute of the Carl Zeiss Foundation, was involved with the Jena reading hall, and shaped the city's cultural self-understanding far beyond his time. The exhibition does not present a dry chronicle but a vivid examination of historical contexts. ([eduard-rosenthal.de](https://www.eduard-rosenthal.de/de/leben_und_wirken/kulturell_engagierter_stadtbuerger/882269?utm_source=openai))

A place of education, reading, and cultural memory

The Ernst-Abbe Library is a fitting venue for this. As a modern city library and cultural site with exhibitions, readings, and educational offerings, it stands in a tradition closely connected with Rosenthal. The fact that the exhibition is being shown here provides a special aesthetic experience: literature, history, and urban identity enter into direct dialogue. The library is accessible and provides an open framework for a broad audience. ([jenakultur.de](https://www.jenakultur.de/de/einrichtungen/ernst-abbe-buecherei/605335?category=&content_vkliste_page=3&date_from=15.08.2026&date_to=15.10.2026&utm_source=openai))

Opening, duration, and guided tours

The Ernst-Abbe Library, together with the New Reading Hall Association e.V., invites you to the exhibition opening. Afterward, the presentation will be open for three weeks during library hours. Additionally, Dr. Dietmar Ebert will offer free guided tours of the exhibition on several dates, including September 30, as well as October 7, 14, and 21, 2026, each at 5 PM. This provides a deepened access to Rosenthal's life stages and the history of Jena's educational landscape, especially for visitors interested in art and cultural history. ([jenakultur.de](https://www.jenakultur.de/de/1050800?template_id=5951&utm_source=openai))

Conclusion: A quiet, clever, and important exhibition event

Those who wish to understand Jena's cultural memory will find here a precise and vivid exhibition. "Eduard Rosenthal – 12 Views on His Life" combines historical education with a calm, focused exhibition atmosphere and invites one to a rewarding encounter with urban history. A visit is recommended not only for history enthusiasts but for anyone who wishes to experience cultural memory as a living part of the present. ([jenakultur.de](https://www.jenakultur.de/de/1050800?template_id=5951&utm_source=openai))