Klaus Vondung


Klaus Vondung is a German scholar on the fields of cultural and German studies. The focus of his academic work lies on the interplay of literature, politics and religion during the German Empire, Nazi Germany and beyond.

Early life and education

Klaus Vondung was born in Ulm. He studied German, history, philosophy and politics at University of Tübingen and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, where he passed the Staatsexamen during the winter semester of 1965/66. Three years later he received a Doctor of Philosophy of LMU and spent the next two years as a lecturer. Having been granted a scholarship of the German Research Foundation, he spent two years of post-graduate research at Stanford University.

Academic work as a professor

Following a habilitation about the more recent history of German literature, Klaus Vondung was appointed a professor of German studies and literature at University of Siegen in 1976, a post which he held until becoming an emeritus in 2006. During intervals of his time in Siegen, he also served as dean and prorector.
Vondung's academic research interests are expressed by the premise of the graduate school "Forms of Communication as Forms of Life", of which he was the speaker. Other scientific projects headed by him include "Turn of the millennium: Fears and Visions" and "Mysticism and Modernity".
During his academic career, Vondung was guest professor at the universities of Florida, of Houston, and of Osaka, as well as Kwansei Gakuin University and Zhejiang University, the last one on unlimited terms.

Publications

Klaus Vondung is the author or editor of the following books:
·Japanese translation: Nachizumu to Shukusai. Kokka shakai shugi no ideorogi teki saigi to seiji teki shukyo
·English translation: The Apocalypse in Germany
·Race and State. The Collected Works of Eric Voegelin. Vol. 2
·The History of the Race Idea from Ray to Carus. The Collected Works of Eric Voegelin. Vol. 3
·English translation: Paths to Salvation. The National Socialist Religion
·Apokalypse ohne Ende