German Society for Philosophy

The German Society for Philosophy (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophie, or DGPhil) is a learned society for philosophers, philosophy researchers, university teachers, school educators, and others interested in philosophical intellectual life in the German-speaking world. It is a membership association rather than a commercial brand, and its work centers on the public, academic, and professional development of philosophy. The society traces its institutional origins to the First German Philosophers’ Congress, held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1947. The founding initiative came from Georgi Schischkoff and developed through a sequence of philosophers’ congresses. In 1950, the General Society for Philosophy in Germany was formally established as an association. Helmuth Plessner, who presided over the Third German Philosophers’ Congress in Bremen, became the first president of the newly established organization. The association operated under the name Allgemeine Gesellschaft für Philosophie in Deutschland until its members approved a change to Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophie e. V. on September 25, 2002. Its statutory purposes include encouraging broad interest in philosophical work, helping the public participate in the results of philosophy, representing the interests of philosophy in universities and schools, and promoting scholarly exchange. The DGPhil pursues these goals through recurring conferences and communications. Its principal forum is the German Congress of Philosophy, held every three years. The congress provides a large national meeting point for academic philosophers and supports discussion across philosophical traditions, fields, and methodological approaches. The society also contributes to the annual forum for philosophy and represents German philosophers within the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de Philosophie. The DGPhil’s activities extend beyond congress organization. It publishes the free digital quarterly Mitteilungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Philosophie, which appears four times a year and communicates society matters, calls for papers, events, and other information relevant to the profession. Its website provides an overview of philosophy degree programs in the German-speaking world, a calendar of philosophical events, and information for members and the broader public. Members also receive event notices, calls for papers, and relevant job advertisements by email. The society’s scholarly activity is documented through the Deutsches Jahrbuch Philosophie. Organizationally, the association is led by a board consisting of a president, managing director, and treasurer. An extended board advises the executive leadership and is intended to reflect different areas of philosophical work and a range of intellectual approaches. The general assembly normally meets every three years in connection with the German Congress of Philosophy. It elects the executive board and handles amendments to the association’s statutes. The society also serves as an umbrella and networking body for professional and specialist organizations. Its corporate members include associations devoted to aesthetics, ethics, ancient philosophy, medieval and Renaissance philosophy, intercultural philosophy, French-language philosophy, early modern philosophy, and the work of individual philosophers such as Kant, Schelling, Schopenhauer, Spinoza, Max Scheler, and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Other members represent bilateral philosophical cooperation and regional philosophical communities. Through these relationships, the DGPhil connects disciplinary societies, university philosophy, school teaching, international cooperation, and public-facing philosophical activity. The organization is based in Leipzig, with its office in Jena. Its current presidency, according to the cited reference material, is held by Ruth Hagengruber, who began a term in 2025. The society remains an active national organization for the coordination, representation, and communication of philosophical scholarship and teaching in Germany and the wider German-speaking academic environment.

The DGPhil emerged from efforts to rebuild and coordinate philosophical life in postwar Germany. Georgi Schischkoff initiated the founding process at the First German Philosophers’ Congress in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1947. The congress series created a setting in which philosophers from universities and other educational institutions could discuss the state and future of their discipline. Paul Menzer presided over the first congress, followed by Fritz-Joachim von Rintelen at the second congress in Mainz in 1948. The association was formally founded in 1950 as the General Society for Philosophy in Germany, or Allgemeine Gesellschaft für Philosophie in Deutschland. The founding took place in connection with the Third German Philosophers’ Congress in Bremen, chaired by Helmuth Plessner, who became the organization’s first president. The society subsequently developed as a national learned organization for philosophy, bringing together academic philosophers, teachers, specialist societies, and people seeking to participate in philosophical intellectual life. Over the following decades, the presidency passed through a succession of prominent German philosophers. The leadership included Helmut Kuhn, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Kurt Hübner, Hermann Lübbe, Wolfgang Kluxen, Odo Marquard, Herbert Schnädelbach, Hans Lenk, Hans Poser, Jürgen Mittelstraß, Wolfram Hogrebe, Günter Abel, Carl Friedrich Gethmann, Julian Nida-Rümelin, Michael Quante, Dominik Perler, and Gerhard Ernst. These successive administrations represented different areas and traditions within German philosophy while maintaining the society’s role as a coordinating professional body. The organization’s central recurring event is the German Congress of Philosophy, held every three years. The congress serves as a broad forum for presenting research, debating philosophical questions, and sustaining contact among philosophical disciplines and institutions. In addition to the congress, the DGPhil supports an annual philosophy forum and represents German philosophical interests in the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés de Philosophie. It also seeks to strengthen cooperation with national philosophical organizations abroad. On September 25, 2002, the general assembly resolved to replace the society’s historical name with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophie e. V. The change gave the organization the name by which it is known today while preserving its role as the principal broad-based German association for philosophy. The society has expanded its communications and professional services through a free digital quarterly publication, Mitteilungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Philosophie. The publication appears four times each year and helps circulate information about events, calls for papers, and society activities. The DGPhil website provides information about philosophy degree programs in German-speaking countries and maintains an event calendar. Members also receive professional notices and relevant job advertisements by email. The organization’s scholarly activities are documented in the Deutsches Jahrbuch Philosophie. The DGPhil is based in Leipzig and maintains its office in Jena. Its corporate membership network includes specialist and bilateral philosophical organizations, such as the Kant Society, the Schopenhauer Society, the Spinoza Society, the International Ludwig Wittgenstein Society, the Society for Ancient Philosophy, the Association for Ethics, and organizations focused on aesthetics, intercultural philosophy, medieval and Renaissance philosophy, and early modern philosophy. This network reflects the society’s broad remit across academic research, professional representation, teaching, and public philosophical exchange. Ruth Hagengruber is listed as president from 2025.

• 2025

  Ruth Hagengruber listed as president

  [1]Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophieen.wikipedia.org

  Ruth Hagengruber began the presidency listed for the 2025 term.

• 2024

  Twenty-sixth German Congress of Philosophy

  [2]German Society for Philosophy official websitedgphil.de

  The reference material identifies the XXVI German Congress of Philosophy in Münster under the theme “#digital|denken.”

• 2002

  Name changed to German Society for Philosophy

  [1]Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophieen.wikipedia.org

  The general assembly approved the association’s modern name, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophie e. V., replacing the former General Society for Philosophy in Germany designation.

• 1950

  Formal establishment of the society

  [1]Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophieen.wikipedia.org

  The General Society for Philosophy in Germany was founded in connection with the Third German Philosophers’ Congress in Bremen. Helmuth Plessner became its first president.

• 1948

  Second German Philosophers’ Congress

  [1]Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophieen.wikipedia.org

  The second congress was held in Mainz under the presidency of Fritz-Joachim von Rintelen, continuing the organizational process begun the previous year.

• 1947

  Founding initiative at the First German Philosophers’ Congress

  [1]Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophieen.wikipedia.org

  Georgi Schischkoff initiated the process that eventually led to the establishment of a national German philosophical society at the congress in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

A national learned society and professional coordinating body for philosophy, positioned between the academic community, school education, specialist philosophical associations, and the interested public.

• Academic congress

  German Congress of Philosophy

  The society’s principal large-scale scholarly meeting, held every three years. It brings together researchers, teachers, and other participants for presentations and debate across philosophical fields and traditions. The congress also normally provides the setting for the general assembly, which elects the executive board and addresses statutory matters.

• Digital quarterly publication

  Mitteilungen der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Philosophie

  A free digital publication issued four times a year. It communicates information about the society, philosophical events, calls for papers, and other matters relevant to members and the wider philosophical community.

• Scholarly documentation

  Deutsches Jahrbuch Philosophie

  A yearbook documenting the society’s scholarly activities and contributing to the record of organized philosophical work associated with the German philosophical community.

• Academic information service

  Philosophy degree-program overview

  An online overview of philosophy degree programs in the German-speaking world. It supports prospective students, academics, and others seeking information about the institutional landscape of philosophy education.

• Information service

  Philosophical events calendar

  A website-based calendar that gathers information about philosophical events and helps connect members and interested users with lectures, conferences, and other activities.

• 2002

  Adoption of the German Society for Philosophy nameStrategy

  Background

  The association had operated since 1950 under the name General Society for Philosophy in Germany. Its members considered a modernized designation at the general assembly held on September 25, 2002.

  Action taken

  The general assembly approved the name Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophie e. V., translated as German Society for Philosophy.

  Aftermath

  The new name became the organization’s current public identity while its core role as a national learned society continued.

  Source

1. 1Deutsche Gesellschaft für Philosophieen.wikipedia.org
2. 2German Society for Philosophy official websitedgphil.de