Gerhard Besier (born 30 November 1947, in

Wiesbaden Wiesbaden () is a city in central western Germany and the capital of the state of Hesse. , it had 290,955 inhabitants, plus approximately 21,000 United States citizens (mostly associated with the United States Army). The Wiesbaden urban area ...

) is a German

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

theologian, historian and politician best known for his work on church-state relations in the

Third Reich Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

and in the

German Democratic Republic German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **G ...

Work

Besier's publications have focused on church history, including church history during the

and the

, and

religious freedom Freedom of religion or religious liberty is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedom ...

issues in contemporary society. His views on religious freedom follow the libertarian American model, a stance which has made him controversial in Germany.Staff (16 June 2009)
"Offener, als ich vermutet habe"
'' taz''. Retrieved on 2009-06-29. Güntner, Joachim (24 November 2003)
"Toleranzübung auf problematischem Felde – Scientology und der 'Fall' Besier"
''Neue Zürcher Zeitung''. Retrieved on 2009-06-29. Besier taught historical theology at

Heidelberg University } Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public university, public research university in Heidelberg, B ...

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 Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. It has been variously defined as a cult, a Scientology as a business, business, or a new religious movement. The most recent ...

. Besier currently holds the chair in European Studies at Dresden University.TU Dresden Chair in European Studies
/ref> 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 A Landtag (State Diet) is generally the legislative assembly or parliament of a federated state or other subnational self-governing entity in German-speaking nations. It is usually a unicameral assembly exercising legislative competence in non ...

'' seat in

Saxony Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...

. He holds three doctorates, including an honorary doctorate from

Lund University , motto = Ad utrumque , mottoeng = Prepared for both , established = , type = Public research university , budget = SEK 9 billion Christl Ruth Vonholdt Christl Ruth Vonholdt (born 1954) is a German physician for Child and Adolescent Medicine, former Director of the German Institute for Youth and Society (Deutsches Institut für Jugend und Gesellschaft), Christian author and is member of the Reich ...

and Hermann Klenk) * ''Die neuen Inquisitoren. Religionsfreiheit und Glaubensneid''. Zurich 1999, Teil 1: , Teil 2: * ''Die Rufmordkampagne. Kirchen & Co vor Gericht''. Bergisch Gladbach 2002, * ''Konzern Kirche. Das Evangelium und die Macht des Geldes''. Hänssler Verlag, 2002, * ''Repression und Selbstbehauptung. Die Zeugen Jehovas unter der NS- und der SED-Diktatur'', Duncker und Humblot, Berlin 2003, (with

Clemens Vollnhals Clemens Vollnhals (born 26 January 1956) is a German contemporary historian and a specialist of the Conservative Revolution, denazification, State security and political justice. Life and career From 1976 to 1981, Vollnhals studied modern an ...

) * ''Der Heilige Stuhl und Hitler-Deutschland: Die Faszination des Totalitären''. Munich 2004, * ''Religionsfreiheit und Konformismus. Über Minderheiten und die Macht der Mehrheit''. Lit. Verlag, Münster 2004, * ''Das Europa der Diktaturen. Eine neue Geschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts''. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, Munich 2006, * ''Im Namen der Freiheit. Die amerikanische Mission''. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2006, * ''Jehovas Zeugen in Europa – Geschichte und Gegenwart'', Band 1, Lit Verlag, Münster 2013, (with Katarzyna Stokłosa) * ''Jehovas Zeugen in Europa – Geschichte und Gegenwart'', Band 2, Lit Verlag, Münster 2015, (with Katarzyna Stokłosa)

References

External links

CV
Dresden University {{DEFAULTSORT:Besier, Gerhard 1947 births 20th-century German historians German Lutheran theologians 20th-century German Protestant theologians German politicians Living people German male non-fiction writers 21st-century German historians