Internationale Tage in Ingelheim

The Internationale Tage (International Days) exhibitions in Ingelheim, Boehringer Ingelheim’s home town, have for more than 50 years provided special insights into the cultural traditions of other countries, important trends in art and the work of individual artists. Cultural sponsorship, which now seems natural to us, was almost pioneering in 1959 when Dr Ernst Boehringer, then co-owner of Boehringer Ingelheim, laid the foundation for the annual festival “Internationale Tage”. This ongoing cultural commitment is an expression of the spirit of patronage.

Since then, the annual events have taken visitors back in time and virtually around the globe, from the plastic world of Ancient Greece to the critical zeitgeist of Berlin’s Golden Twenties. The initial ten days soon became a packed three-week, later six-week, cultural programme. Exhibitions, folklore, literature, talks, seminars, theatre, film and music showcased countries from different continents.

In 1966, the work of a single artist, Goya, was presented for the first time and followed two years later by an homage to Toulouse-Lautrec. With shows revolving around Picasso, Daumier, Manet and Paul Klee, the art exhibitions virtually became the influential heart of the Internationale Tage. The focus shifted increasingly towards art and monographic exhibitions, including Japanism, Fauvism, Expressionism, photography, Tinguely and Miró.

Each year, some 20,000 art lovers visit the exhibitions in Ingelheim’s Old Town Hall.

The Bros. Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation for the Humanities

This, the oldest of the three Boehringer foundations, originated as an idea for a gift to mark the 65th birthdays of Albert Boehringer Sr. and Julius Liebrecht, as well as the 60th birthday of Dr. Ernst Boehringer. The foundation was established in 1957.

As it sponsors the humanities, the foundation is quite different from the Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds and the Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation, both of which were established later and support basic research in the life sciences. It underlines the founders’ commitment to culture and the liberal arts.

Dr Robert Boehringer, a close friend of the famous German lyricist Stefan George, was appointed to the first scientific advisory council of the foundation. Today, the foundation exclusively grants subsidies for the printing costs of research literature, e.g. doctoral theses, in the humanities