Gerhard Besier

Gerhard Besier

Gerhard Besier in June 2009
Born 30 November 1947
Wiesbaden, Germany
Residence Dresden
Institutions Dresden University of Technology
Known for Writings on totalitarianism, church history and religious and ethnic minorities
Notable awards Honorary doctorate, Lund University

Gerhard Besier (born 30 November 1947, in Wiesbaden) is a German Lutheran theologian, historian and politician best known for his work on church-state relations in the Third Reich and in the German Democratic Republic.

Work

Besier's publications have focused on church history, including church history during the Third Reich and the German Democratic Republic,[1] and religious freedom issues in contemporary society. His views on religious freedom follow the libertarian American model, a stance which has made him controversial in Germany.[2][3][4]

Besier taught historical theology at Heidelberg University from 1992 to 2003. From 2003 to 2008, he was the director of the Hannah Arendt Institute for Research on Totalitarianism at Dresden University; his contract was not renewed following widespread criticism in Germany of his liberal views on Scientology.[2][5] Besier currently holds the Chair in European Studies at Dresden University.[6] He is a visiting professor at universities in the United States, Sweden and Poland, and is the editor of Kirchliche Zeitgeschichte, an academic journal on church history.

Formerly considered close to the conservative Christian Democratic Union party, Besier joined the left-wing Die Linke party in April 2009, and was nominated for a safe Landtag seat in Saxony.[2] He holds three doctorates, including an honorary doctorate from Lund University in recognition of his services to religious freedom.[2]

Publications (selection)

English

German

References

  1. Putting old wine into new bottles: the East German Protestant Church's desire to reform state socialism, 1989-90, Journal of Church and State, 22 Sep 2001
  2. 1 2 3 4 Staff (2009-06-16). "Offener, als ich vermutet habe", taz. Retrieved on 2009-06-29. (German)
  3. Güntner, Joachim (2004-06-30). Beharren auf dem Rechtsstandpunkt. Erneuter Wirbel um Gerhard Besier, das Hannah-Arendt-Institut und Scientology, Neue Zürcher Zeitung. Retrieved on 2009-06-29. (German)
  4. Güntner, Joachim (2003-11-24). "Toleranzübung auf problematischem Felde – Scientology und der 'Fall' Besier", Neue Zürcher Zeitung. Retrieved on 2009-06-29. (German)
  5. Franziska Augstein: Die neueste Entlassung. Das Hannah-Arendt-Institut trennt sich von seinem Direktor. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung. 7 April 2007, p. 13 (German)
    Nachwirkungen des Scientology-Eklats?, Der Tagesspiegel, 5 April 2007 (German)
  6. TU Dresden Chair in European Studies

External links

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