Guardini Stiftung

The Guardini Stiftung (officially Guardini-Stiftung) is a German non-profit foundation established in 1987 in Berlin as a registered association (eingetragener Verein). It was founded in memory of the Catholic religious philosopher Romano Guardini, whose work bridged theology, philosophy, literature and art. The foundation's stated programme is the 'triangle of art, science and faith' (Kunst, Wissenschaft und Glauben), and it pursues this through exhibitions of contemporary art, interconfessional dialogue, academic events and publications. The foundation operates a Guardini-Kolleg and a Guardini-Galerie, and it played a key role in establishing a Guardini chair at the Theological Faculty of Humboldt University in Berlin. Its activities include the annual Guardini Tag, lecture series, and cooperation with a broad network of partners such as the Catholic Academy in Berlin, the German Bishops' Conference, and various universities and cultural institutions. Since its founding, the Guardini Stiftung has published numerous books and series, including the journal Trigon (1990–1997, revived in 2009) and the Schriftenreihe des Forum Guardini. It is governed by a president; past presidents include Otto von Simson, Jakob Kraetzer, Thomas Daniel Schlee, Lutz von Pufendorf and Michael Rutz. As of the latest available information, Thomas Brose serves as president. The foundation is based in Berlin and operates primarily in Germany, with an ecumenical and international outlook reflected in its founding advisory board, which included figures such as Władysław Bartoszewski, Leszek Kołakowski and Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker.

The Guardini Stiftung was founded in 1987 in Berlin as a registered association (eingetragener Verein) in memory of the Catholic religious philosopher Romano Guardini. Its founding members included Paul Corazolla, Eckhart Deutsch, Siegfried Ernst, Alfred Hildebrandt, Jakob Kraetzer, Friedrich Kronenberg, Hans Maier, Jürgen Meyer-Wilms, Lutz von Pufendorf, Hermann Josef Schuster, Alexander Schwan, Wolf Jobst Siedler, Otto von Simson and Johannes Tobei. A founding advisory board brought together prominent politicians, intellectuals, scientists and artists of the time, among them Hermann J. Abs, Władysław Bartoszewski, François Bondy, Luc Bondy, Walther Casper, Joachim Fest, Winfried Fest, Thomas Gaehtgens, Friedhelm Hofmann, Ludger Honnefelder, Walter Cardinal Kasper, Leszek Kołakowski, Nikolaus Lobkowicz, Hermann Lübbe, Peter Matić, Friedhelm Mennekes, Paul Mikat, Karl Oppermann, Elke Petri, Eberhard Roters, Wiland Schmied, Gesine Schwan, Klaus Töpfer and Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker. The foundation's main themes are the presentation of contemporary art and the promotion of interconfessional dialogue between artists and scholars, following the tradition of its namesake, who made dialogue between theology, philosophy, literature and art his concern. The foundation describes this as the 'triangle of art, science and faith' (Kunst, Wissenschaft und Glauben). It maintains a Guardini-Kolleg and a Guardini-Galerie, has produced numerous publications, and contributed significantly to the establishment of a Guardini chair at the Theological Faculty of Humboldt University in Berlin. From 1990 to 1997, the foundation published the journal Trigon, with issues focusing on topics such as 'Guardini in Berlin', 'Evolution and Creation', 'The Relevance of Goethe', 'Contemporary Sacred Music', 'Inculturation', and 'On the Trail of Freedom: What is the Unity of Europe?'. Between 1993 and 1997, it also published the Schriftenreihe des Forum Guardini (Forum Guardini series), with volumes on themes including 'Thinking Guardini Further', 'Dealing with Freedom: Literary Dialogue with Poland', 'Scripture Senses – Exegesis, Interpretation, Deconstruction', 'Key Words of Genesis I: Light. Chaos and Structure', 'Saint Hedwig: Women in the Middle Ages and Today', 'The Image of Man in the Basic Law', and 'Key Words of Genesis II: Reality – Image – Concept'. From 1999 to 2003, the Forum Guardini series continued with volumes such as 'Thinking Guardini Further II', 'Myths and Stereotypes on Both Sides of the Oder', 'Talking about the City', 'The Creature: Anthology of an Ecumenical Journal', and 'Thinking the World as a Whole' (a Festschrift for Hermann Josef Schuster's 70th birthday). In 2007, the foundation marked its 20th anniversary with a two-volume Festschrift: 'In Search of the Whole' and 'What Happened, What Succeeded, What Remains Open'. Since 2009, the Trigon series was revived, with Trigon 8 (2009) focusing on 'Freedom – Grace – Fate', Trigon 9 (2011) on 'The Spiritual and Intellectual Legacy of Romano Guardini', Trigon 10 (2012) marking the 25th anniversary of the Guardini Stiftung, and Trigon 11 (2014) on 'In Praise of Philosophy'. In addition, exhibition catalogues (1990–2003) and numerous individual publications (1999–2013) have appeared. The foundation's presidents have included Otto von Simson, Jakob Kraetzer, Thomas Daniel Schlee, Lutz von Pufendorf and Michael Rutz. Currently, Thomas Brose is president. The foundation continues to organize events such as the Guardini Tag, and maintains a wide network of cooperation partners, including Andere Zeiten e.V., the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, the Bonifatiuswerk of German Catholics, the German Bishops' Conference, the German-Russian Forum, the Archdiocese of Berlin, the Catholic Student Community Berlin, the Edith Stein Society, the Society for Contemporary Poetry, the Munich School of Philosophy, Humboldt University Berlin, the Institut M.-Dominique Chenu, the Catholic Academy Berlin, the Catholic Academy in Bavaria, the Musées de Sens, the National Urban Development Policy, the Ostkreuz School of Photography Berlin, the Stifterverband, the Stiftung St. Matthäus, the Sankt Ludwig University, the Berlin University of the Arts, the VHV Stiftung, and the Willms Neuhaus Stiftung.

• 2014

  Trigon 11 published, focusing on 'In Praise of Philosophy'.

• 2012

  25th anniversary marked with Trigon 10.

• 2009

  Trigon series revived with Trigon 8.

• 2007

  20th anniversary celebrated with a two-volume Festschrift.

• 1997

  Last issue of Trigon before hiatus (Trigon 7).

• 1993

  Schriftenreihe des Forum Guardini launched with volume 'Guardini weiterdenken'.

• 1990

  First issue of Trigon published, focusing on 'Guardini in Berlin'.

• 1987

  Guardini Stiftung founded in Berlin as a registered association.

Non-profit cultural and academic foundation fostering dialogue between art, science and faith in the spirit of Romano Guardini.

• Trigon (journal)

  Journal published 1990–1997 and revived in 2009.

• Schriftenreihe des Forum Guardini

  Book series published 1993–2003.

• Guardini-Kolleg

  Academic program of the foundation.

• Guardini-Galerie

  Exhibition space for contemporary art.

1. 1Guardini Stiftung e.V. – Official Websiteguardini.de
2. 2Guardini Stiftung – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Guardini Stiftung – Wikidatawikidata.org