Questions regarding the purpose and functions of universities and their staff have to fulfil is decided not only at the places of scientific practice, but also in public. Not only in the 20th century, but rather from their very origins have universities been shaped to varying degrees by their relationship with the public. As the public has always been involved in defining and delimiting what should and should not be regarded as science, thereby providing or withholding social recognition for science, the two areas have developed in mutual dependence. Examining the relationship between the university or science on the one hand and the public on the other hand therefore also allows us to gain insight into the society of the respective epoch. For this reason, the functions and tasks of universities are also reflected in areas such as politics and economy.