Frankenstein in Ingolstadt

“I am malicious because I am miserable.” (the creature) 

In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein (1818), Victor Frankenstein’s quest for knowledge begins at the University of Ingolstadt. In the novel, the city becomes the setting for one of the most influential stories about creation, responsibility, and the consequences of humanity’s quest for knowledge. More than two hundred years later, KU Eichstätt-Ingolstadt is revisiting these questions—right where the story began.

Lecture Series: Inventing futures - From Frankenstein to artificial intelligence

The KU’s Frankenstein Lecture Series brings together researchers from various disciplines, people from the arts and culture sector, and practitioners. In the summer semester of 2026, we will explore the ideas, hopes, and fears shaping today’s debate on digitalization and artificial intelligence. We will examine the role of narratives, images, and myths—dating back to Mary Shelley and beyond—in shaping this discourse. This will create a history of the future of AI: an exploration of the ideas that define our relationship with the things we create.

The lecture series takes place at the Georgianum in Ingolstadt, one of the historic buildings of the Bavarian State University founded in 1472, where the fictional Victor Frankenstein studied. The event is open to the public and free of charge. All dates, topics, and speakers can be found on our event page.

Conference and Frankenstein Lab

In October 2026, we will host an international academic conference titled “FrankenstAIn,” which will bring renowned researchers to Ingolstadt. The conference and lecture series are organized by the KU’s Frankenstein Lab. The lab is located in the historic Hohe Schule. There, research projects are conducted at the intersection of philosophy, literature, and cultural history with regard to artificial intelligence and digitalization. We ask: What does it mean to create something that develops a dynamic of its own? What responsibility do science and society bear when technologies seem to slip beyond our control?

Ingolstadt as the historic setting of the Frankenstein myth

For its Future Campus, KU is again using the historic buildings of the old university: the Hohe Schule and the Georgianum. Through research projects and events on Frankenstein and AI, we are building on a long history of the pursuit of knowledge right here at this very site. A history that is also marked by the misuse of knowledge. We are creating a space where the past, present, and future engage in dialogue.

Participate and Contact Us

We cordially invite you to join this discussion. Visit our events in Ingolstadt, explore our lab, or send us an email at frankenstein@ku.de.