Mourning for Wolfgang Bergsdorf

Wolfgang Bergsdorf, born in Bensberg in November 1941, studied sociology, psychology and political science in Bonn, Cologne, Munich and Regensburg from 1961 to 1970. Later, in 1973, and after already working as a freelance journalist during his studies, he became office manager and one of Helmut Kohl's closest advisors. From 1982 he was head of department in the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government and from 1993 to 1998 head of the Culture and Media Department in the Federal Ministry of the Interior. In Kohl's "kitchen cabinet", he was regarded as someone who gave "contra" where necessary and ultimately became one of the most important figures in the Bonn Republic. His journalistic activities were also important and outstanding, especially as editor of the "Rheinischer Merkur".

In 2000, he was elected President of the University of Erfurt, succeeding Peter Glotz, who sent him into what he himself described as the "labours of the plain" after the exciting first few years following the university's re-founding. Until 2007, Bergsdorf, who was regarded as a "quiet man" and sought personal dialogue, dedicated himself to his office with passion, patience, political wisdom and great commitment and thus to raising the profile of Germany's youngest university at the time as a reform university. The faculties and the Max-Weber-Kolleg owe him a great deal. In particular, Wolfgang Bergsdorf was instrumental in supporting and promoting the integration of the then Theological-Philosophical Studies programme, now the Faculty of Catholic Theology, into the university.

And even after he left office, he remained connected to our university. During his last visit to Erfurt in 2017, he donated an important certificate of Islamic book culture to the Gotha Research Library: a Koran manuscript from Northwest Africa, which has enriched the unique collections ever since.

Wolfgang Bergsdorf also held several positions on boards of trustees and foundations. For example, he was a member of the ZDF Television Council from 1986 to 1996. From 2007 to 2015, he was President of the Görres Society for the Advancement of Science. Bergsdorf was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1985 and was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany a year later and the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class in 1991. He had been a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts since 1991.

In Wolfgang Bergsdorf we have lost an extremely intelligent and well-read man, and a committed campaigner for our university. Our thoughts are with his wife, his children and all those who now sorely miss him.

On behalf of the entire Presidium
Professor Walter Bauer-Wabnegg
(President of the University of Erfurt)