Jürgen Ehlers Spring School

A crash course in gravitational physics

The two-week vacation course in gravitational physics for third-year students was launched by the AEI together with the University of Potsdam in 1999. It has been a regular activity of the institute ever since. Since 2009, the school has been named the 'Jürgen Ehlers Spring School', in honour of the AEI's founding director, Jürgen Ehlers, who passed away in 2008.

This annual crash course on gravitational physics, general relativity, black holes and gravitational-wave astrophysics can be attended by students studying from the 5th semester physics or mathematics.

The next Jürgen Ehlers Spring School (JESS) will take place in spring 2027.