Memorial Plaque on the Bestowal of the Epithet Fridericiana on Karlsruhe Polytechnic

“Grand Duke Friedrich of Baden bestowed the honorary name FRIDERICIANA upon Karlsruhe Polytechnic during the anniversary celebrations of his 50th year of reign on April 25, 1902.” Thus reads a plaque dedicated by the rectorate and senate of the Polytechnic in memory of this privilege “in reverential homage [and] never lapsing gratitude.” The conferral of this honorary name marked the culmination of a significant transformation of the Polytechnic at the turn of the twentieth century. A key milestone was the granting of the right to award doctorates in 1899. The long-sought-after equality with traditional universities had thus been attained. Additionally, a generous building program led to new facilities for architecture, chemistry, mechanical engineering, and the natural sciences, enhancing Karlsruhe’s position among competing technical universities. Naming universities after regents was common practice as a mark of distinction. For Karlsruhe, this step along with the honorary address “Magnifizenz” for the rector, and his chain of office, represented a notable enhancement of its public image. The Grand Duke of Baden was pleased with the university’s petition to carry the name of its patron, as reveals a handwritten note by Friedrich I on the award decree. This gesture may also have expressed his satisfaction with his long-standing support of Karlsruhe Polytechnic, demonstrating the regent’s commitment to educational advancement. Little is known about the creation of the commemorative plaque. It was produced by the sculptor Heinrich Bauser between approximately 1902 and 1905. It is believed that the plaque may have been originally displayed in the auditorium of the architecture building, which was destroyed in 1944, alongside other plaques of historical significance. The plaque was rediscovered only in 2005, in storage for decades with other items from the institutional history collection in a janitor’s workshop on campus. as