From May 18 to 20, 2018, the conference "Elisabeth of Bohemia (1618-1680) - Life and Legacy. Philosophy, Politics and Religion in Seventeenth Century Europe" took place at Paderborn University and in Herford, Germany. The aim of this conference was to re-evaluate the philosophical achievements of Elisabeth of Bohemia.

The three-day conference was organized by Prof. Dr. Sabrina Ebbersmeyer (University of Copenhagen), Prof. Dr. Sarah Hutton (University of York) and Prof. Dr. Ruth Hagengruber (Director of the Center for the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists and Head of Philosophy at Paderborn University) and supported by the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung, the German Society for Philosophy (DGPhil) and the Center for the History of Women Philosophers and Scientists at Paderborn University.
Previous to the conference, the workshop “Elisabeth of Bohemia – Women and Early Modern Philosophy” took place on May 17. Its aim was to promote communication and cooperation between young scientists who deal with philosophers of the early modern period. Afterwards, the first meeting of the working group “Women in the History of Philosophy” was held.

Prof. Dr. Birgit Riegraf (President of Paderborn University)

The first conference day (May 18) started with a welcome address by Prof. Dr. Birgit Riegraf (President of Paderborn University). In her address, the president reported, among other things, on Elisabeth’s local and international significance for the history of philosophy. She also expressed her appreciation for the event.
The second conference day (May 19) took place in Herford where Elisabeth of Bohemia / Herford spent her last years. The day was opened by Herford’s mayor Tim Kähler with a welcome speech and supported by the Herford women’s history group EigenSinn. Prof. Dr. Lisa Shapiro (Simon Fraser University) was awarded with the first Elisabeth of Bohemia and Herford Prize in the historic boardroom of the Herford town hall by the scientific selection committee, Prof. Dr. Sarah Hutton, Prof. Dr. Ruth Hagengruber, and Prof. Dr. Dominik Perler (Humboldt University of Berlin). The prize, endowed with 3000 euros, was donated by the local economics professor, women’s rights advisor as well as member of the management and shareholder of the Mestemacher Group Ulrike Detmers.

Festive day in Herford.

In the course of the conference, lectures on various aspects of Elisabeth of Bohemia’s life and work were held. Talks were given in chronological order by: Lisa Shapiro, Lilli Alanen, Nadine Akkerman, Sabrina Ebbersmeyer, Mirjam de Baar, Denis Kambouchner, Sarah Hutton, Dominik Perler, Michael Girke, Sonja Langkafel, Gianni Paganini, Carol Pal, Martina Reuter, Marie-Frédérique Pellegrin, and Susanne Åkerman. The guests, accompanied by a festive supporting program, used the time in the coffee and lunch breaks to talk about the conference’s main person: Elisabeth of Bohemia.
(AKC, JH, JL)