▁its ▁research ▁supported ▁by ▁the ▁federal ▁and ▁state ▁govern ments ▁of ▁Germany . ▁ ▁Sal on ▁Soph ie ▁Charlotte ▁ ▁The ▁Sal on ▁Soph ie ▁Charlotte ▁is ▁a ▁public ▁evening ▁event ▁organized ▁by ▁the ▁B BA W ▁bringing ▁together ▁leading ▁academ ics ▁and ▁the ▁general ▁public . ▁Being ▁selected ▁as ▁an ▁academic ▁panel ist ▁or ▁speaker ▁is ▁considered ▁highly ▁pr estig ious . ▁The ▁number ▁of ▁visitors ▁increased ▁over ▁the ▁years ▁to ▁up ▁to ▁ 3 0 0 0 ▁visitors ▁( 2 0 1 7 ) ▁including ▁academ ics , ▁public ▁intellect uals ▁and ▁polit icians ▁such ▁as ▁Chan cell or ▁Ang ela ▁Mer kel . ▁ ▁E pon ym ▁of ▁the ▁sal on ▁is ▁Soph ia ▁Charlotte ▁of ▁Han over ▁( 1 6 6 8 - 1 7 0 5 ), ▁Queen ▁cons ort ▁in ▁Pr uss ia ▁as ▁wife ▁of ▁King ▁Frederick ▁I ., ▁who ▁initi ated , ▁together ▁with ▁Gott fried ▁Wilhelm ▁Le ib n iz , ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁the ▁scientific ▁a cademy ▁in ▁Berlin ▁in ▁ 1 7 0 0 . ▁On ▁her ▁estate ▁L iet z ow ▁( Char lot ten burg ) ▁near ▁Berlin ▁maintained ▁Soph ie ▁Charlotte , ▁who ▁had ▁a ▁great ▁passion ▁for ▁philosophy , ▁free - sp ir ited ▁sal ons , ▁which ▁formed ▁a ▁counter - world ▁to ▁strict ▁Pr uss ia ▁et iqu ette ▁as ▁a ▁social ▁meeting ▁place ▁for ▁discuss ions , ▁read ings ▁or ▁musical ▁events . ▁ ▁The ▁event ▁takes ▁place ▁in ▁B BA W ' s