On the passing of Hans Maier

It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the passing of Professor Dr Dr h.c. Hans Maier, who died on 8 June 2026 at the age of 94. Hans Maier was one of the defining figures of post-war German intellectual and academic life. As a political scientist, education policy-maker and public intellectual, he combined academic excellence with an extraordinary commitment to democracy, education and culture.

Our faculty has a special connection to Hans Maier. From 1988 until his retirement in 1999, he held the Romano Guardini Chair of Christian Worldview, Religious and Cultural Theory. With his wide-ranging thinking, his historical knowledge and his ability to build bridges between academia, politics, the Church and society, he left a lasting mark on the intellectual profile of our faculty. We shall honour his memory.