The historian and former Berlin Senator for Science and Culture Christoph Stölzl is dead CDUThe politician died on Tuesday at the age of 78 in Evenhausen, Bavaria, as the Franz Liszt Music Academy in Weimar confirmed on Wednesday. In addition to numerous other functions in culture and politics, Stölzl was president of the university until 2022.
Thuringia’s Minister of Culture Benjamin-Immanuel Hoff (left) praised Stölzl as an intellectual and a scholar in the best sense of the word, whom Germany is losing. His influence on the cultural development of Thuringia extends beyond the Weimar Music Academy, which he headed for twelve years.
Born in Westheim near Augsburg in 1944, Stölzl grew up in Munich’s educated middle class. He studied history, literature and sociology. At the age of 36, Stölzl became director of the Munich City Museum. “As a young team, we banged on and provoked with exhibitions,” he recalled in an interview with the dpa. In 1987, Stölzl became the founding director of the German Historical Museum in Berlin. He remained in the position until 1999.
A year later, Stölzl switched to journalism as deputy editor-in-chief and head of the features section at Die Welt. In the years that followed, he worked in various positions at universities, for example in Berlin and Weimar. After the turbulent resignation of director Peter Schäfer, the historian was a confidante at the Jewish Museum in Berlin. Most recently, he was the founding director of the exile museum planned for Berlin. He also worked on numerous committees of other cultural institutions.
The news of Stölzl’s death triggered numerous reactions in the cultural world. The Schloss Neuhardenberg Foundation honored “energy, tirelessness and sincere devotion”. The Musikhochschule Weimar spoke of a “person for whom kindness, humility and modesty were just as important maxims in life as knowledge of the connections in the world, of historical contexts, above all of art and music”. The Exile Museum called Stölzl a “committed comrade-in-arms, clever advisor, experienced exhibition organizer”.
The political Stölzl was only briefly in the FDP organized and ascended in 2000 CDU-Ticket initially entered the Senate as a non-partisan Senator for Science, Research and Culture. Membership followed a year later, and then Stölzl was too CDU-Head of state and on the federal board. In his political career, he repeatedly encountered strong opposition with extremely polarizing statements.
In addition, the press release of the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar:
Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar mourns the loss of its former president Christoph Stölzl
The Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar is dismayed by the sudden death of its former president Prof. Dr. Christoph Stoelzl. He died unexpectedly on January 10, 2023 at the age of 78 in Evenhausen (Bavaria), as his family told the university.
Until June 30, 2022, the historian, publicist and culture journalist was at the head of the Weimar Music Academy and for twelve years steered the fortunes of the house with a steady hand and great empathy. “We mourn the loss of a person for whom kindness, humility and modesty were just as important maxims in life as knowledge of the connections in the world, of historical contexts, and above all of art and music,” says University President Prof. Anne-Kathrin Lindig, Christoph Stölzl’s successor. “All of a sudden it took the life of our esteemed colleague. Our condolences go out to his family, loved ones and friends.”
As part of the festival week marking the 150th university anniversary in June 2022, Christoph Stölzl bid farewell to his university in a festive setting. Of course with a lot of music, because the passionate amateur musician had often used the double bass and banjo himself during his tenure. “So soon after his farewell, his humor, his open ear and his brilliant speeches are still very present. We will miss Prof. Stölzl very much,” says Prof. Anne-Kathrin Lindig. In an interview in the Liszt Magazine of the university in the summer of 2022, Altmagnifizenz Stölzl looked back on his presidency: “My time in Weimar is littered with moments of happiness, whether a Dvořác cello phrase penetrates the wall of my office or whether one is in the Weimarhalle after a concert by the university orchestra, hears the applause and is happy in the ‘Wir!’ with the lucky ones on top of the podium.”
The Weimar Music Academy owes a lot to its former president. He positioned the house clearly in the cultural and political events of Thuringia and generated international appeal. Due to Christoph Stölzl’s decades of experience in the cultural sector, as an interdisciplinary thinker he was a sought-after discussion partner for nationwide media publishers and broadcasters as well as a regular guest on large podiums. During his two terms of office, there were important appointments at the Hochschule für Musik, including the endowed chair for the history of Jewish music. He also succeeded in significantly increasing the number of Germany scholarships to be awarded.
Prof. Dr. Christoph Stoelzl (*February 17, 1944, † January 10, 2023) studied history, literature and sociology. From 1974 he worked in the Bavarian National Museum, from 1980 to 1987 as director of the Munich City Museum and then until the end of 1999 as founding and general director of the German Historical Museum in Berlin. Christoph Stölzl has organized numerous major exhibitions on European cultural history and published many works on European history, culture and politics. In 2000/2001 he was Berlin’s Senator for Culture and Science and from 2002 to 2006 Vice President of the Berlin House of Representatives. Christoph Stölzl has also worked as a publicist in the press, radio and television for many years. From 2010 to 2022 he served as President of the Franz Liszt Weimar University of Music.
