Heinrich Fink (31 March 1935 – 1 July 2020) was a

German 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 **Ge ...

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

, university

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...

and politician ('' Die Linke''). In 1991 Fink was dismissed from

Humboldt University of Berlin Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (german: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a German public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin. It was established by Frederick William III on the initiative o ...

due to allegations against him being a former informer for the

East German East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...

state security office, the

Stasi The Ministry for State Security, commonly known as the (),An abbreviation of . was the Intelligence agency, state security service of the East Germany from 1950 to 1990. The Stasi's function was similar to the KGB, serving as a means of maint ...

. Fink denied the allegations.

Biography

Fink was born in Korntal,

Bessarabia Bessarabia (; Gagauz: ''Besarabiya''; Romanian: ''Basarabia''; Ukrainian: ''Бессара́бія'') is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Be ...

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

(today Cantemir, part of Nădejdea commune, in Sarata Raion) and came from an impoverished

Bessarabian German The Bessarabia Germans (german: Bessarabiendeutsche, ro, Germani basarabeni, uk, Бессарабські німці) were an ethnic group who lived in Bessarabia (today part of the Republic of Moldova and south-western Ukraine) between 1814 ...

peasant family. The family was resettled to

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

on the basis of

Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was of the (Protection Squadron; SS), and a leading member of the Nazi Party of Germany. Himmler was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of th ...

's emigration policy. Heinrich Fink joined the

Free German Youth The Free German Youth (german: Freie Deutsche Jugend; FDJ) is a youth movement in Germany. Formerly, it was the official youth movement of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the Socialist Unity Party of Germany. The organization was meant ...

(FDJ). From 1954 to 1960, he studied

Protestant theology Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

Humboldt University Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (german: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a German public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin. It was established by Frederick William III on the initiati ...

, where he set out his doctoral thesis on

Karl Barth Karl Barth (; ; – ) was a Swiss Calvinist theologian. Barth is best known for his commentary '' The Epistle to the Romans'', his involvement in the Confessing Church, including his authorship (except for a single phrase) of the Barmen Declara ...

and his master dissertation on

Friedrich Schleiermacher Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher (; 21 November 1768 – 12 February 1834) was a German Reformed theologian, philosopher, and biblical scholar known for his attempt to reconcile the criticisms of the Enlightenment with traditional P ...

. From 1979 to 1992, Fink was Professor of Practical Theology at Humboldt University, of which he was the principal from 1990 to 1992. He was a member of the Christian Peace Conference wherein he occasionally was East German Regional Committee Chairman, and he was Chairman of the

Union of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime The Association of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime/Federation of Antifascists (German: ''Vereinigung der Verfolgten des Naziregimes – Bund der Antifaschistinnen und Antifaschisten'') (VVN-BdA) is a German political confederation founded in 1947 ...

(''Vereinigung der Verfolgten des Naziregimes – Bund der Antifaschistinnen und Antifaschisten''). From 1998 to 2001, Fink was a member of the German

Bundestag The Bundestag (, "Federal Diet") is the German federal parliament. It is the only federal representative body that is directly elected by the German people. It is comparable to the United States House of Representatives or the House of Commons ...

for the Party of Democratic Socialism. In November 1991 allegations about his cooperation with the East German state security were leaked to the public. Many academics and artists protested and spoke about a politically motivated procedure. Nevertheless, Fink was summarily fired. The decision to fire him was later upheld in German courts after he had sued Humboldt University and the administration of the city of Berlin, his former employer.Koehler, John O. (1999). Stasi: The Inside Story of the East German Secret Police. West View Press. . page 9.

Selected publications

Books

* (2013) ''Wie die Humboldt-Universität gewendet wurde. Erinnerungen des ersten frei gewählten Rektors.'' Hannover, Ossietzky. * (2011) ''Einspruch! : antifaschistische Positionen zur Geschichtspolitik'', with Cornelia Kerth and VVN-Bund der Antifaschisten VVN-BdA. Köln, PapyRossa. * (1992) ''Heinrich Fink : sich der Verantwortung stellen'', with Bernhard Maleck. Berlin, Dietz. * (1992) ''Politische Kultur im vereinigten Deutschland : der Streit um Heinrich Fink, Rektor der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin''. Berlin, Utopie kreativ. * (1991) Universität Leipzig Arbeitskreis Hochschulpolitische Öffentlichkeit. ''Heinrich Fink und der Umgang mit unserer Vergangenheit "eine ordinäre politische Massnahme"'', with

Rudolf Bahro Rudolf Bahro (18 November 1935 – 5 December 1997) was a dissident from East Germany who, since his death, has been recognised as a philosopher, political figure and author. Bahro was a leader of the West German party The Greens, but became dis ...

. Leipzig Arbeitskreis Hochschulpolitische Öffentlichkeit, 1991. * (1987) ''

Dietrich Bonhoeffer Dietrich Bonhoeffer (; 4 February 1906 – 9 April 1945) was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and anti-Nazi dissident who was a key founding member of the Confessing Church. His writings on Christianity's role in the secular world have ...

--gefährdetes Erbe in bedrohter Welt : Beiträge zur Auseinandersetzung um sein Werk'', with Carl-Jürgen Kaltenborn and Dieter Kraft. Berlin, Union Verlag, 1987. * (1985) ''Zur Geschichte der Theologischen Fakultät Berlins'', with Heinrich Fink et al. Berlin, Humboldt-Universität. * (1978) ''

und die Bewegung Freies Deutschland in der Schweiz''. .l. 1978. octoral Dissertation.''Karl Barth und die Bewegung Freies Deutschland in der Schweiz : Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades doctor scientiae theologiae (Dr.sc.theol.), vorgelegt dem Senat des Wissenschaftlichen Rates der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin''. Berlin, H. Fink elfpublisher 1978. * (1969) ''Von Schleiermacher zu Marx'', with Emil Fuchs and Herbert Trebs. Berlin, Union Verlag, 1969. * 1968)''Stärker als die Angst; den 6 Millionen, die keinen Retter fanden''. Berlin, Union Verlag. * 1966 ''Begründung der Funktion der Praktischen Theologie bei Friedrich Daniel Ernst Schleiermacher Eine Unters. anhand s. prakt.-theol. Vorlesgn.'' Berlin, .n. 1966. (Berlin, Humboldt-U., Theol. F., Diss. v. 25. Jan. 1966.) aster Dissertation.* 1951)''Première Session du Conseil mondial de la paix''. Berlin, with Palamede Borsari and

Jessie Street Jessie Mary Grey, Lady Street (née Lillingston; 18 April 1889 – 2 July 1970) was an Australian diplomat, suffragette and campaigner for Indigenous Australian rights, dubbed "Red Jessie" by the media. As Australia's only female delegate to t ...

. 21-26 février 1951. Compte rendu et documents II. N.l., n.d.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fink, Heinrich 1935 births 2020 deaths People from Odesa Oblast 20th-century German Protestant theologians Party of Democratic Socialism (Germany) politicians Members of the Bundestag for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Members of the Bundestag 1998–2002 Christian Peace Conference members Union of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime members Bessarabia-German people People from Bezirk Potsdam People of the Stasi German male non-fiction writers Humboldt University of Berlin alumni Academic staff of the Humboldt University of Berlin Presidents of the Humboldt University of Berlin Members of the Bundestag for The Left