Klaus Dietrich Fischer was a Member in the School of Historical Studies in spring 2009, coming to the Institute from his position as Professor of History of Medicine at Johannes Guttenberg Universität in Mainz, Germany. As his term drew to a close, Fischer spoke of the unique qualities of the Institute that made his time here so productive: the quiet environment, excellent facilities and staff support, and opportunities for intellectual exchange with colleagues from around the world.
He also began to see his experience in a new way. He writes, “My stay at the Institute in 2009—of more than seven months—helped me to understand and relate to some aspects of American life I had not really been aware of before. One of them is the culture of philanthropy: giving support to things that mean a lot to you, that you enjoy or have enjoyed, and that you wish others to benefit from as well. In this regard, the Institute for Advanced Study is high on my list.” With these thoughts in mind, Fischer established a Charitable Gift Annuity that will ultimately benefit the School of Historical Studies endowment. Fischer continues, “It was a pleasure for me to be in a position to make a gift to the Institute, as a token of my appreciation and with a view to helping, in a small way, with the Institute’s mission.”