History

The university speech in 2023 took place on July 20, 2023 in the Alte Aula of Heidelberg University after a break of more than four years and was given by Carolin Emcke.

The title of the speech was Zeugenschaft und Krieg - Über die Ethik des Erzählens.

Lecture on November 12, 2008 by Alice Schwarzer:
"On the 'emancipation' of women and Jews - similarities and differences".

Lecture on October 29, 2008.

Before his speech in the auditorium of the Old University on October 29, 2008, Federal Minister of the Interior Dr. Wolfgang Schäuble took time for a personal conversation with students of the HfJS.

You can find the text of the speech here.

Lecture on July 2, 2008 by Günther H. Oettinger:

"Market economy and religious diversity - How minorities contribute to Europe's prosperity and freedom".

You can find the text of the speech here.

Lecture on June 18, 2008

A commentary by Alexander Dubrau

Karl Cardinal Lehmann is known beyond Germany's borders as the voice of German Catholicism and its moral authority. Lehmann has also been a committed interlocutor in interreligious and intercultural dialog without giving up his own positions. It should be remembered that he appeared as a mediating spokesman following irritating statements made by German bishops during a trip to Israel in spring 2007.

When the guest speaker now turns his attention to the topic of the "return of religion", he is picking up on a topical contemporary word and a comprehensive social phenomenon. The subtitle of his lecture, "On the ambivalence of a contemporary buzzword", already indicates that he intends to reflect on this critically. Lehmann begins by quoting statements from the booming literary market and comments on current opinions on this topic. The emotional reaction of many contemporary commentators, which always arises when the "return of religions" is discussed, is striking. Alongside benevolent observers of this supposed paradigm shift towards religion (such as "Why the return to religion is good"), skeptics of various stripes dominate. Lehmann's explanations reveal the desideratum of an objective and distanced analysis of the phenomenon. He attributes the current trend to a "postmodern arbitrariness", which also has a negative impact on interreligious dialog.

In his lecture, Lehmann outlines the change in the concept of "religion" and in this context also recalls the criticism of religion and the mockery of religion in the Hebrew Bible. Lehmann takes a position on the understanding of religion in a 5-point catalog: 1) the reference to God as reason and goal is the essence of religion, 2) the dignity of man is not to be questioned, 3) the freedom of man is always to be guaranteed, 4) man's search for meaning is motivated by religion, and - this is above all a Christian-Catholic position - 5) the non-violent missionary mission to all peoples is part of the religious understanding of life. Opening up to the outside world first requires internal localization. According to Lehmann, the understanding of salvation in Jesus Christ is irrevocable for the Church.

Cardinal Lehmann then turns to the Catholic Church's approach to non-Christian religions, which in his view is characterized by both a positive-affirmative and a negative aspect. A mediation of both elements should follow the principle: "The unity of religions can be achieved without abolishing their diversity". Lehmann's lecture concluded with an optimistic outlook on interreligious dialog. Cardinal Lehmann then provided an opportunity for discussion.

23. January 2008

Henryk M. Broder
"Anti-Semitism could become something if the Jews would take care of it" - Jewish self-hatred from Karl Marx to the present day.

14. November 2007

Otto Schily (Former Federal Minister of the Interior)
Religion's claim to absoluteness and tolerance

Lecture on July 11, 2007

During her visit to Heidelberg, German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel listened with great interest to the Vice President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Prof. Dr. Salomon Korn (right), and the Rector of the University of Jewish Studies, Prof. Dr. Alfred Bodenheimer (left next to the Baden-Württemberg Minister of Science, Prof. Dr. Peter Frankenberg), explain the plans for the new extension to the university. Nevertheless, Chancellor Merkel was not sparing with praise for her hosts in her subsequent speech: the University of Jewish Studies is unique in Europe. The Chancellor also had the opportunity to discuss the coexistence of Jews and non-Jews in the Federal Republic of Germany with students.

At the invitation of the Central Council of Jews in Germany and the Heidelberg University of Jewish Studies, Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel gave a lecture on the topic of tolerance - the basis of coexistence between religions and cultures on 11 July as part of the Heidelberg University Speeches in the auditorium of the Old University. In her speech, the Chancellor called for more religious and social tolerance in Europe. Only in this way could the integration of foreigners succeed, she continued. Merkel encouraged the religions to discover the world through each other's eyes. "That is almost the most exciting thing," she emphasized. This process leads to dialog and democratic decision-making.

In his welcoming address, the Rector of Heidelberg University recalled Angela Merkel's first visit to the University of Jewish Studies in 1991, when she was Federal Minister for Women and Youth. She had come on the occasion of the opening of a conference on the topic of "The History of Jewish Women in Germany". In her opening speech at the time, she already stated what is now the academic standard: the history of Judaism in Germany and its description is also part of German history. Bodenheimer emphasized that the Hochschule für Jüdische Studien, which was visited by a head of government for the first time in its almost thirty-year history, "is now on its way to establishing itself as a European center of excellence for Jewish studies". The aim of the Jewish and non-Jewish lecturers and students is "to pursue Jewish studies together in a Christian environment in order to radiate into a pluralistic society". The Rector of Ruprecht Karls University, Prof. Dr. Dres. h.c. Peter Hommelhoff, took the opportunity to thank Dr. Merkel for her impressive G8 and especially EU presidency. The packed auditorium in the time-honored wood-panelled auditorium also applauded her.

Lecture on April 25, 2007

The rapid changes in the media landscape and their impact on our communication in a globalized world are the focus of Hubert Burda's lecture. The major publisher knows what he is talking about. His holding company publishes 252 magazines, journals and newspapers in 19 countries (68 of them in Germany) and has around 120 radio and Internet holdings. One of his most important successes in the German print media sector was the founding of the news magazine Focus in collaboration with Helmut Markwort in 1993. However, Burda, who holds a doctorate in art history, is not only distinguished by his publishing skills. He is one of Germany's most important patrons of art and literature and is committed to Jewish causes. He financially supported the CD-ROM production of Steven Spielberg's Shoah Foundation and the construction of the Jewish Community Center in Munich. In 2006, he was awarded the Leo Baeck Prize for his commitment.

Lecture on November 22, 2006.

A commentary by Prof. Dr. Johannes Heil

Daniel Cohn Bendit has already spoken in many halls. He didn't even say a word about the ambience of the auditorium of the Old University in Heidelberg. As a guest of the University of Jewish Studies as part of the Heidelberg University Talks, he got straight to the point. That's how he always did it. This straightforwardness, which does not shy away from unavoidable conflicts, has brought him to the fore. It is not for nothing that he has been one of the most conspicuous players in the otherwise inconspicuous European Parliament in Strasbourg for years.

This brings us, almost as quickly as Cohn-Bendit, to the heart of the matter. One or two years ago, Europe and the Middle East would probably have elicited only a defensive groan from those concerned. In the past, European initiatives on foreign policy, especially in the Middle East crisis region, have repeatedly revealed themselves to be European domestic policy, and no one outside the region really needed to be interested. However, according to Cohn-Bendit, this Europe is now called upon in view of the political stalemate in the Middle East and the all-round failure of American policy in Iraq. The crisis there, which has not yet been overcome, will first be followed by a major clean-up at home, in other words - Vietnam sends its regards - a return to domestic interests. However, the circumstances in the Middle East did not allow for a vacuum, and of course Europe had to fill this vacuum. "The threat is increasing rapidly." This was perhaps the clearest message of Cohn-Bendit's thought-provoking lecture. "I was never a Zionist, and I was never anti-Zionist." As a European and as a Jew in Europe, he is interested in progress towards détente in the Middle East. That is easy to believe. Cohn-Bendit is also realistic enough not to hope that Europeans will have the ideal insight into the conditions of conflict in the Middle East. He knows his people well enough and he knows that they are only at their best when they themselves are affected. Europe is under threat, he concludes, so there is a prospect of improvement, especially at the moment, because: "The fact that nothing works anymore is also an opportunity." However, there are too many old friendships and even older scores to settle, including historical obligations in Germany, for one country alone to play an active role. Only Europe offers an appropriate framework for action. What Cohn-Bendit has in mind is a de-escalation strategy under the umbrella of a European-moderated peace conference that sets about finding an integrated solution to the issues at hand: the Palestinian question cannot be solved without Syria, Lebanon cannot be solved without Israel, all of this cannot be solved without Iran, the security wall must be removed where it does not follow the 1967 borders, Israel's security must be guaranteed; this requires international guarantees and security measures. Until then, there has been no mention of water, which cannot be provided for the region without Turkey's participation

So Cohn-Bendit described the pieces of the puzzle very precisely, without pretending to have the picture in mind. That is why he has so little use for the kind of resolutely well-meaning "both-and" positions that have recently found a voice in academic petitions. Wanting to lecture, even if it is perhaps correct in the matter, does not get you anywhere "This kind of thing only leads to a stalemate where everyone is right." And the 200,000 participants in this year's Rabin memorial service would have long since understood for themselves what could be said from the outside. So how should things continue? Cohn-Bendit introduced his speech with the "Jewish joke": "If you have two choices, choose the third". The idiosyncratic realism of this sentence was also part of the opposition culture of sixty-eight. Instead of immediately giving up in the face of such conditions, it inspired its protagonists at the time. This life experience is probably also the reason why someone like Cohn-Bendit does not want to appear to be a pessimist, even after taking stock and in view of the many obstacles that have not even been mentioned. Let's hope he is right. Because, slightly modified, what is this other sentence, which is neither Jewish wisdom nor a joke: "We don't know how to go on, but we are doing it with all our might.

Lecture on July 03, 2006

A commentary by Prof. Dr. Johannes Heil

"... I am known as a realist" - this brief sentence was uttered at some point during Joschka Fischer's lecture as part of the Heidelberg University Speeches in the auditorium of the Old University. Everyone wants to be a realist, an advisor and a right-winger, as could be heard in the discussion. But being a realist is not easy, especially when you think about Israel and political concepts for creating a peaceful Middle East. Anyone who is a realist, Fischer said, will quickly realize that "the flaming speeches since 1947 have only increased the tragedy."

Freed from the burden of the convention of the office, Fischer's speech was aware of the "depressing topicality" of the Middle East issue in every sentence. "Germany is not uninvolved in the Middle East", is historically involved and is currently interested in an amicable solution to the complicated situation in its own interests. Despite all the bad news of the day, Fischer also recognized rays of hope: the unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, decided and enforced by the Israeli right, was a historic turning point towards a realistic policy. An equally realistic policy on the Arab side could only be one that did not always cite Israel as the "big excuse for everything" for all failures and shortcomings, for example in the area of mass education. The current Iranian leadership's unvarnished policy of nuclear armament in particular shows how necessary internal and external reforms are: "Now is the time to act and open up perspectives."

In all of this, it became clear how close political positions and personal convictions can be: Fischer's unconditional plea for a fair balance of interests in the Middle East, secure borders and living conditions for peoples and states, Germany's special responsibility for Israel and an active role in the region, finally also the importance of Turkey as a (coming) model of successful European integration and internal reform of an Islamic society and also the indispensable leadership role of the USA - these were all topics and positions that Foreign Minister Fischer had already courageously advocated. The speaker made it clear that leaving office could not be a withdrawal from responsibility for him: instead of the plenary chamber, it would now be the lecture hall, for the time being.

Michael Naumann, born in Saxony-Anhalt in 1941, studied politics, history and philosophy. On May 10, 2006, he gave a speech at Heidelberg University on the subject of "Imago Dei and education - a German conceptual history".

From 1998 to 2000, the habilitated political scientist, journalist, publicist and publishing director held the office of Minister of State for Culture and Media, which was newly established under Gerhard Schröder. In January 2001, he moved to Hamburg as editor of the weekly newspaper "Die Zeit". Together with Tilman Spengler, he took over the publication of the magazine "Kursbuch" from "Die Zeit" in 2005.

The second Heidelberg University Lecture of the semester was given on February 15, 2006 by Rabbi Israel Singer, Chairman of the World Jewish Congress.

He was visibly moved by the location of the lecture, the Alte Aula of the University. To him, who was born in Brooklyn and whose parents had fled Vienna, the magnificent, historically charged location seemed exciting in its own way. The following remarks were also characterized by a personal note: Singer formulated fundamental positions on the relationship between religions and cultures that went beyond the topic of the evening.

The difficult, but also fruitful process of rapprochement with the Vatican offers a wealth of experience. With regard to the current cartoon controversy, Singer warned against simplistic schemes that seek to identify an inevitable "clash of cultures". He emphasized that democratic principles and cultural communication processes cannot do without the moment of respect for the other person and their convictions.

On December 7, 2005, the Heidelberg University of Jewish Studies began the Heidelberg University Lecture Series with a lecture by Marcel Reich-Ranicki on the subject of literature without a homeland. The lecture took place in the auditorium of the Old University of Heidelberg.