With the Helmholtz Medal, the Academy honours outstanding scientific achievements in the fields of humanities, social sciences, mathematics and natural sciences, biology, medicine and engineering sciences. The medal may be awarded biennially. It is conferred at the ceremonial session on the Academy’s Leibniz Day celebration.

Winner of the Helmholtz Medal

Laudations (German)

2020: Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Gábor A. Somorjai

2018: Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Rita R. Colwell

2016: Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Nicholas Rescher

2014: Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Murray Gell-Mann †

2012: Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. John C. Polanyi

2010: Professor Dr. phil. Dr. h. c. Niels Birbaumer

2008: Professor em. Dr. phil. Dres. h. c. Peter Wapnewski †

2006: Professor em. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h. c. mult. Dr.-Ing. E. h. mult. Günter Spur †

2004: Professor Dr. phil. Hans-Ulrich Wehler †

2002: Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Friedrich Hirzebruch †

2000: Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Jürgen Habermas

1998: Sir Roger Penrose, Ph. D.

1996: Professor Dr. Avram Noam Chomsky

1994: Professor Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h. c. mult. Manfred Eigen †