An article is an attempt to study the main processes of the interaction between German cities and universities in the late Middle Ages. The author also researched the main aspects of the foundation of universities in Germany and the role of German cities during the 14th and 15th centuries in their formation, financing and material endowment. It was carried out the classification of the sources of financial income to universities, including participation in this process by city councils, which exercised certain rights and responsibilities towards universities, and formed separate bodies of city government for the care of educational institutions, including so-called «provisors» or «deputies», paid scholarships and annual grants to the university's general expenses, granted salaries for teachers. Main attention is given to the cultural and scientific role of the higher education institutions, which they played for the German cities in during the late Middle Ages, namely the provision of educated professionals, that contributed to the economic and political development of these territories. It is also analyzed the social composition of students and university teachers, the proportion of burghers in this environment, their role in shaping the teaching staff of higher education institutions. It is carried out the conflicts between urban representatives, in particular artisans, and high school students. It is also researched the confrontations between municipal administration and the representatives of universities and the role of city council or princes in the settlement of such clashes. Particular attention is paid to conflicts between city councils and universities regarding the appointment of teachers, the procedure of rent payment for the use of city buildings, committing offenses in the city by students.
GERMAN CITIES AND THEIR ROLE IN THE FOUNDATION OF UNIVERSITIES DURING THE 14th AND 15th CENTURIES
