Dr. des. Marie Nosper

Professional experience

07.2025 - 12.2025 Research Assistant at the Gotha Research Centre of the University of Erfurt for the support of the third-party funded project "Strategies of Collecting and Displaying China in Nineteenth-Century Germany: Gotha's Chinese Cabinet" by Dr Emily Teo

11.2024 - 09.2025 Research Assistant at the Gotha Research Centre of the University of Erfurt

08.2024 - 09.2024 Research Assistant at the Gotha Research Centre of the University of Erfurt 
for the support of the 15th Workshop of the Working Group "Early Modern Times" from 19 to 21.09.2024 in Gotha

06.2022 - 03.2023 Research Assistant at the Gotha Research Centre of the University of Erfurt

04.2016 - 12.2020 Friedenstein Castle Foundation, Restoration and Collections Department

Studies

01.2017 - 11.2025 Doctoral studies at the University of Erfurt, working title of the dissertation: "Herzog Ernst II. von Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg (1745-1804): Ruler - Patron of Science - Illuminati. A biography of the middle years"
Final grade: Magna cum laude

04.2023 - 03.2024 Doctoral scholarship from the Jutta Heidemann Foundation

06.2018 - 05.2022 Doctoral scholarship from the Jutta Heidemann Foundation

10.2013 - 03.2016 University of Erfurt, Master of Arts 
Study of History
Thesis topic: "The Ethiopian journey of Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1862. Travelling for the public between curiosity, diplomacy and science"

10.2009 - 09.2013 University of Erfurt, Bachelor 
Study of History (major subject) and Religious Studies (minor subject)
Thesis topic: "Auto da fes in the Spanish Empire"

Voluntary commitment

10.2013 - 03.2014 Student teaching,
Participation in a block seminar lasting several days as part of the Studium Fundamentale programme

07.2012 - 07.2013 Student Council of the University of Erfurt, member of the board

Memberships

since 06.2024 Member representative on the Council of the Gotha Research Centre of the University of Erfurt

since 04.2021 Full member of the Gotha Research Centre of the University of Erfurt

since 07.2018 Member of the EPPP graduate centre "History of Knowledge in the Modern Era" at the Gotha Research Centre of the University of Erfurt

since 07.2017 Member of the "Gotha Centre for Illuminati Research"
 

• Enlightenment research
• History of societies, history of Freemasonry and the Illuminati Order
• Research into personal testimonies
• Everyday and cultural history
• Court and residence research
• (Digital) editing

Lectures

Marie Nosper: "Case study: Friedrich Münter religious agent in the field service". Discussion of the dissertation based on an excerpt from Dorktor's work at the graduate centre "Wissensgeschichte der Neuzeit" Gotha, 14 May 2024.

Marie Nosper: "Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg between science, politics and secrecy". Stippendiatentreffen of the Jutta Heidemann Foundation in Erfurt, 18 April 2024.

Marie Nosper, Erik Liebscher: "Herzog Ernst II von Sachsen-Gotha und Altenburg als Freimaurer und Illuminat", lecture as part of the exhibition programme "Freimaurer und Mysterien Ägyptens in Gotha" of the Friedenstein Castle Gotha Foundation in cooperation with the Gotha Research Centre, 21 May 2023.

Meumann and Marie Nosper: "In the footsteps of the Gotha Lodge - A city tour of Masonic sites", Markus Meumann and Marie Nosper, City of Gotha, 4 June 2023.

Olaf Simons and Marie Nosper: "In the footsteps of the Gotha Lodge - A city tour of Masonic sites", City of Gotha, 22 June 2023.

Member of the "Gothaer Arbeitsstelle für Illuminatenforschung" and the Gotha Research Centre: What did the Illuminati discuss at their secret meetings? Performance of a meeting of the Gotha Minerval Church from 18 December 1786, Gotha Ducal Museum, 20 August 2023, 7 September 2023.

Marie Nosper: "Journey to England by Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1745-1804)". Discussion of the dissertation based on an excerpt from Dorktor's work at the graduate centre "Wissensgeschichte der Neuzeit" Gotha, 12 May 2022.

Marie Nosper: "Herzog Ernst II. von Sachsen-Gotha und Altenburg (1745 - 1804) zwischen Wissenschaft, Politik und Geheimbundtätigkeiten". Lecture and text contribution at the workshop "Wissensgeschichte - transdisziplinär und transepochal: Forschungsfragenworkshop 2.0" in Gotha, 5 October 2022.

Marie Nosper: "Die Briefe von Stolberg-Roßla an Ernst II. im Jahr 1784", lecture at the workshop "Der Illuminatenorden. Ideals and contradictions". Workshop of the Centre for Illuminati Research at the Gotha Research Centre, 28 January 2022.

Marie Nosper: "Herzog Ernst II von Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg zwischen Wissenschaft, Politik und Geheimbundttigkeit". Stippendiatentreffen of the Jutta Heidemann Foundation, Zoom Webinar/Meeting, 4 June 2021.

Marie Nosper: "All kinds of journeys. Ernst II's absence from court', lecture at the conference 'Being E(a)rnest. New research on Ernest II of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1745-1804)'. Workshop of the Gotha Collection and Research Network and the Illuminati Research Unit at the Gotha Research Centre, 13 November 2019, organised by Marie Nosper.

Marie Nosper: "Duke Ernst II of Saxe-Gotha and Altenburg (1745 - 1804) between science, politics and secret society activities". Lecture and text contribution at the workshop "Forschungsfragen" in Gotha, 26 June 2019.

Marie Nosper: "Herzog Ernst II. von Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg zwischen Politik und Geheimbundtätigkeit", lecture at the workshop "Bürgerliche Aufklärungsgesellschaft oder Staat im Staate? New research on the Illuminati Order in its late phase", Gotha, 16 November 2018.

Marie Nosper: "Herzog Ernst II. von Sachsen-Gotha-Altenburg und seine Illuminatenkorrespondenz 1785", lecture at the workshop "Zwischen Butus und Syracus. The Illuminati Order in Central Germany", Gotha, 30 June 2017.

List of publications

Nosper, Marie, Between noble lines: Zur symbolischen Bedeutung des Zeremonialschreibens für die soziale Konstituierung des europäischen Hochadels im 18. Jahrhundert. In: Themenportal Europäische Geschichte, 2023, <www.europa.clio-online.de/searching/id/fdae-131336>.

Nosper, Marie; Liebscher, Erik: "Herzog Ernst II von Sachsen-Gotha und Altenburg (1745 - 1804) als Freimaurer und Illuminat". pp. 89 - 100. in: Meumann, Markus; Wallenstein, Uta [eds:] Freemasons and the Mysteries of Egypt in Gotha. Scientific volume and catalogue accompanying the exhibition from 23 April to 15 October 2023 in the ducal museum. Petersberg, Kr Fulda: Michael Imhof Verlag, 2023.

Nosper, Marie; Wirkner, Christian: "The theologian and the duke". Essay for a publication by the Illuminati Research Centre at the Gotha Research Centre of the University of Erfurt, in preparation.