- Saxony is aiming to relocate the Einstein telescope to the Free State.
Saxony is on the verge of attracting another significant project in land research. "We're now aiming to bring the Einstein Telescope to Saxony and support any initiatives that could lead to a settlement decision for the Lusatia region," expressed Science Minister Sebastian Gemkow (CDU), during a visit to the German Astronomy Center (GAC) in Görlitz. The GAC and the Einstein Telescope are a perfect fit in terms of content, and they complement each other well as direct neighbors.
Space Wave Measurer
The Einstein Telescope (ET) is an initiative by Europe to construct an underground observatory in the shape of an equilateral triangle. With the ET, gravitational waves from space can be recorded and evaluated. "The Einstein Telescope is a pivotal phase in the exploration of our universe. Its importance is enormous," elaborated Christian Stegmann, head of the astroparticle physics division at DESY, the German Electron Synchrotron. With the ET, scientists will be able to detect black hole collisions and gain insights into the universe's origins.
The Einstein Telescope is a European venture. In addition to sites in northern Sardinia and southern Netherlands, Lusatia is the third area selected due to its granite underground.
Above ground, there will be little to see from the observatory, as its three arms, each 10 kilometers long, are planned to be buried up to 300 meters beneath the Earth's surface. Exploratory drilling for the project started in Lusatia in 2022.
DZA Campus to be Established on the Görlitz Kahlbaum Site
During Gemkow's visit to Görlitz, the proposed site for the GAC was also revealed. The extensive research center is moving to Lusatia as part of the coal mining sector's restructuring, and will build its campus on the infamous Kahlbaum site. The Free State of Saxony bought the land and buildings, offering them rent-free to the GAC indefinitely. The purchase price remains confidential. Gemkow described the center as "a beacon of astrophysics research at the heart of Europe."
Approximately 1,000 employees are expected to work on the GAC campus
"The Kahlbaum site was our dream location to create a top-notch research hub at the heart of Europe, and I am extremely satisfied with this outcome," stated Günther Hasinger, the appointed founding director of the GAC. In the future, around 1,000 employees will drive astrophysics research on the site. Laboratories and workshops will also be established. Around two-thirds of the employees will be scientists.
The Kahlbaum site in Görlitz holds historical significance. In 1855, the first epilepsy clinic in Germany was established here, and Karl Ludwig Kahlbaum transformed it into one of the most renowned psychiatric institutions of the 19th century.
However, the Saxony Ministry of Science also acknowledged the site's troubled past: In 1943, under Nazi rule, Kahlbaum patients were transferred to the Großschweidnitz institution, where many suffered and perished under appalling conditions.
After World War II, the site was utilized as a lung clinic. Later, part of Görlitz district hospital moved in. Since 2004, it has been vacant.
The Einstein Telescope project is also considering Lusatia as one of its potential locations due to its suitable granite underground, joining sites in northern Sardinia and southern Netherlands. The GAC, after its relocation to the Kahlbaum site in Lusatia, will be operated rent-free by the Free State of Saxony, turning it into a significant hub for astrophysics research.
