Prof. Dr. Dr. Andreas Barner
Profession/Position:
Doctor, Chairman of the Gutenberg Foundation, former CEO of Boehringer AG & Co. KG, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the FAZIT Foundation and President of the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft (Donors' Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany).
Gutenberg's meaning for me:
I still consider the invention of printing to be one of the few singular inventions that has advanced mankind. The combination of different aspects of the art of engineering, the ability to transfer technical skills from a completely different context to the goal of printing, the will for absolute quality and entrepreneurial courage are characteristics that still characterize founders and technical revolutionaries today.
My goals:
The International Gutenberg Society is internationally known scientifically, not least thanks to Prof. Dr. Füssel; Gutenberg is of great importance to mankind and therefore my aim is to help Gutenberg in Mainz become more visible to Mainz and international visitors. And thanks to good science and a good museum, ideally with an adequate new building, Gutenberg will be noticeable far beyond Mainz. In particular, I want to help ensure that Strasbourg is not perceived as Gutenberg's primary city.
My target audience:
My target groups are all those who can contribute through their commitment; I am also looking for supporters in the sense of scientific promotion and help to create an even stronger bridge concept between the Johannes Gutenberg University, the International Gutenberg Society and the Gutenberg Foundation.
Why IGS:
The aim of making Gutenberg more visible can only succeed if success is achieved in all three dimensions: museum, scientific and in terms of funding, i.e. approval of the financial means for the Gutenberg Museum; this requires a cooperative, coordinated approach between the City of Mainz, the Museum, the Foundation and the International Gutenberg Society.