"I am impressed by the mindset and exchange of thought."
Friedrich Springorum first came into contact with the Max Planck Society as a young legal trainee. Today and in his 70s, the consultant and coach has supported Max Planck Society for nearly five decades. In this interview, he speaks about his family influences, his career path, and why he remains convinced by the Max Planck Society's principles to this day.
Interview: Julia Meyer-Hermann
Mr. Springorum, you have been a Supporting Member of the Max Planck Society for nearly five decades. Do you remember your first encounters with the Society?
Friedrich Springorum: "I was 28 years old at the time and a trainee lawyer at the time. My father was an engineer and chairman of the Iron and Steel Association. He had been a Supporting Member of Max Planck Society (MPG) for many years. He invited me to join him to a General Assembly one year. He wanted to show me how he connected to this community, such as his work on the organization's senate. We shared an interest in science and research, which has always united us.
How did you experience this first encounter?
For me, the MPG has been a place of integrity ever since, committed to seeking true insights. People interact with each other so respectfully, focusing on the matter at hand rather than just promoting themselves or power.
This became obvious to me during my first visit. I was impressed by how people spoke to each other at the assembly – objectively, respectfully, and with genuine open-mindedness. This mindset convinced me then and continues to convince me to this day. I was accepted as a Supporting Member at that time. My genuine interest in this form of scientific encounter and my family's long-standing connection to Max Planck were probably the decisive factors. Today, admission is more formalized with selection procedures and a committee. I reckon it would be difficult to be accepted solely on the basis of a long family tradition, today.
When did your family's involvement with the Max Planck Society begin?
It goes back to the early days of Kaiser Wilhelm Society (KWG), even before today's Max Planck Society was founded. My great-grandfather helped establish the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Iron Research, the predecessor of today's Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials.
My records include minutes from July 9, 1917, documenting its founding in Aachen. I find it remarkable how clearly this document describes the roles of mutual responsibility. Science and industry entered into what we nowadays would call a "public-private partnership". This shows how people were thinking about making research both practical and socially effective from the start.
Commitment to your own cause — bringing other people along with you.
You do not come from a background in natural sciences or engineering but rather studied law.
My father was an engineer and disapproved of this choice throughout his life, regardless of my professional success. He said, "You don't become a lawyer; you have lawyers." He was a "homo faber": technical, matter-of-fact, and guided by the belief that life could be mastered through rationality alone.
What consequences did that have for your life?
I tried to free myself from this attitude. My father introduced innovations repeatedly at the Mannesmann and Salzgitter AG steelworks. He had picked up these ideas from his time at the Max Planck Institute. These impulses greatly benefited the companies in the long term.
He was very dedicated to his cause. However, he often lost people who couldn't follow his ideas or disagreed with him. At the time, I told myself, "I want to do things differently!" It's crucial and beneficial to dedicate all your energy to a task. At the same time, I understood early on how important it is to win people over to your ideas. I realized that it was crucial to moderate and balance, in order to shape relationships in a way that cooperation remains possible.
When did you realize that interacting with other people is important to you?
I realized this very early on because I was missing something. I lived in a kind of "splendid isolation" during my childhood. My family moved around a lot. I had little contact with my classmates. We lived in houses with large properties, and the schools were far away. I spent a lot of time in the gardens, which is probably where my love of nature comes from.
I missed interacting with others and was often bored at home. So, I decided to attend boarding school, the Odenwald High School. Although I was only there for the last two years until I graduated, that time was among the happiest of my life. I was surrounded by interesting, open-minded young people and teachers with real personalities.
For the first time, I experienced what it meant to have a window opened inside and how enriching and connecting living, learning, and discussing together could be. I had this experience again later when I became a Supporting Member of Max Planck Society. There, too, there was a form of exchange characterized by openness, respect, and genuine interest.
Freedom of mind and the importance of education
After law school, you worked in various management positions for many years at a large German bank. In 2003, you ended this career. What prompted this change?
I noticed that leadership often relied on power and directives rather than dialogue. It became clear that this environment was not my cup of tea. I wanted to take on responsibility and lead in a different way—with more discussion, reflection, and attention to the people you work with.
I started my own business as a management consultant and coach. I underwent intensive further training and completed several coaching courses. I also trained for several years as a philosophical practitioner. It was a more challenging path, but it suited me better—at least judging by how I see myself today. I wouldn't have been credible to others if I hadn't become someone at peace with myself. In fact, Max Planck Society played an important role in this development.
In what way?
I met people there who interacted with each other in a way that felt authentic. I am impressed by the palpable freedom of spirit and the high value placed on knowledge and education there. Research can be conducted without being geared toward a fixed goal or immediate application from the outset. I find this principle extremely valuable.
How are you involved with the Max Planck Society today?
I make financial contributions, of course, but my actual involvement is different. I primarily see myself as a communicator. I talk about Max Planck Society wherever there’s the chance. I introduce it and share my experiences and the principles of Max Planck to win people over. Many people don't even know what the Society does!
There is an opportunity here to generate attention, facilitate encounters, and arouse curiosity through personal accounts. Talking about how people work there, their mindsets, how they interact with each other, and their research – that all generates interest, and sometimes sparks the desire to become part of this community yourself…
