Jena, 30.04.2026. A piece of Jena’s scientific history is moving into children’s rooms and collector’s showcases: The world-renowned physicist and co-founder of the company Carl Zeiss, Ernst Abbe, has been immortalized as a Playmobil figure and presented to the public.
- What: New Playmobil collector’s figure of Ernst Abbe
- Where: Presented at the Optisches Museum in Jena
- Features: The figure comes with a workshop, optical devices, and a cat
- Significance: Together with Carl Zeiß and Otto Schott, Abbe created the foundations of modern optics
Scientist in Miniature Format
The Optisches Museum in Jena provided the appropriate backdrop for a special premiere. The Thuringian physicist Ernst Abbe joins the steadily growing ranks of historical figures released by the toy manufacturer Playmobil as 7.5-centimeter plastic figures. The detailed special figure shows the scientist in his working environment and is complemented by charming accessories. For instance, the set includes a small workshop with various optical devices and – as a playful detail – the physicist’s house cat.
Background: The Fathers of Modern Optics
Ernst Abbe (1840–1905) is considered, alongside Carl Zeiß and Otto Schott, as one of the most important pioneers of the optical industry in the Lichtstadt Jena. His research made it possible for the first time to construct microscopes on a strictly scientific, physical, and mathematical basis. This ended the era of “trial and error” in lens construction at the time and helped the Jena-based company achieve international fame.
Furthermore, Abbe was strongly socially committed: He converted the company into the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung and introduced, among other things, the eight-hour day and paid vacation for the workforce, which was virtually revolutionary in the industrial working world of that time. The Optisches Museum, where the miniature figure has now been introduced, preserves and presents these and other milestones of Jena’s instrument-making and optical history.
Source:
Ernst Abbe as Playmobil figure | MDR.DE
Transparency Note: This article was automatically created, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.