The correspondence between the psychiatrist, psychologist, and philosopher Karl Jaspers and his friend and brother-in-law of the same age—the physician and outspoken contributor to philosophical discourse Ernst Mayer—which began in 1907, proves to be a source that has been largely unknown until now, yet is astonishingly multifaceted. It enhances our understanding of Jaspers’ work, offers sometimes surprising insights into German-Jewish history in the twentieth century, and further sheds light on the history of medicine, given that Mayer was actively involved in the medical movement since the 1920s—not least through his professional advocacy—and also engaged in journalistic writing in this context. Thus, this extensive correspondence, which spans until 1952, proves to be a valuable treasure and an important supplement to the already published correspondence between Jaspers and Hannah Arendt, Martin Heidegger, as well as numerous other philosophers, scientists, and representatives of academia and politics.

The workshop will briefly introduce some of the key themes of the correspondence and then turn to a discussion of specific editorial challenges, such as the question of selection, the particular issues involved in presenting the text, and the preparation of commentary.