New James Loeb Society Lecture Series Explores the Relationship Between People, Nature and Culture in the Blue Land

Murnau, 5 June 2026 – How do we as human beings shape our relationship with nature? What responsibility do we bear for the landscapes that surround us? And what answers can art, culture, philosophy and science offer to the pressing ecological and social questions of our time?

With its new lecture series, “A Creature Among Creatures: Humanity in Forest and Field,” the James Loeb Society invites audiences to explore these questions from a variety of perspectives. The series draws on James Loeb’s humanist legacy and views the Blue Land not merely as a landscape of exceptional beauty or a source of artistic inspiration, but as a cultural space in which the relationship between humanity and nature is continually being redefined.

Opening Lecture: A Plea for the Re-Enchantment of the World

The series opens on 11 June 2026 at 8:00 p.m. with a lecture by Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Söder entitled “There Is a Song in All Things: A Plea for the Re-Enchantment of the World.” The event will take place in the private dining room of Restaurant Da Noi, Untermarkt 12, Murnau.

Taking Sophocles’ famous description of human beings as both the most powerful and the most dangerous of all creatures as his starting point, Söder explores the limits of human action and considers alternatives to a way of thinking that regards nature primarily as something to be controlled. At the heart of the lecture is the question of what a new relationship with the world might look like – one based on mindfulness, connectedness and responsibility. The lecture will also offer insights into Söder’s research on mythical thought and its relevance to the present day.

Further Events in the Series

7 July 2026
Lecture by Prof. Dr. Iris Lauterbach: “The Solemn Forest, the Laughing Meadow, and Nature at Work Everywhere: Villa and Artists’ Gardens Around 1900 in Munich and the Blue Land”
7:00 p.m., Schlossmuseum Murnau, Lecture Hall, Schloßhof 2–5, 82418 Murnau a. Staffelsee

The renowned art historian explores garden culture around the turn of the 20th century and shows how artists, architects and intellectuals gave expression to their ideas about nature and ways of living in the gardens of the Blue Land.

July 2026
Book presentation with Elfie Courtenay: “Nature in Transition: Threats from Human Activity and Climate Change”
The venue will be announced on the James Loeb Society website.

The well-known author on nature and environmental issues examines the profound changes affecting our landscapes as a result of climate change and human intervention. Her focus will include observations from the Alpine region as well as the question of how nature conservation and species protection can succeed in the future.

The lectures are open to everyone interested in discovering the Blue Land and its cultural significance from new perspectives. Admission to all events is free.

“James Loeb regarded education and culture as a responsibility towards society and future generations,” says Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Söder, Chairman of the James Loeb Society. “With this lecture series, we want to revive the dialogue between nature, culture and responsibility, while placing today’s challenges within a broader historical and intellectual context.”

Historical perspectives, approaches from art and cultural history, and contemporary questions concerning environmental responsibility and social cohesion will come together in a lively exchange of ideas.

Organiser

James Loeb Gesellschaft e. V.
James-Loeb-Straße 11
82418 Murnau am Staffelsee
Germany

About the James Loeb Society

The James Loeb Society (James Loeb Gesellschaft e. V.) is dedicated to researching and communicating the life and legacy of James Loeb (1867–1933), the distinguished German-American humanist, patron and supporter of the arts. The Society promotes education, culture and scholarship and is committed to preserving and carrying forward the humanist heritage of the Blue Land region and beyond.