FAU confirms the unlawfulness of ideologically motivated revocations of doctoral degrees during the National Socialist era

During the National Socialist regime, many academics at German universities had their doctoral degrees revoked for ideological reasons, for instance connected to the stripping of their citizenship – and Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) was no exception. Although FAU has already critically reflected on these past events with acts of remembrance and publications, the University took the occasion of the graduation ceremony of this year’s doctoral candidates on July 11, 2026 to underline the unlawfulness of these ideologically motivated revocations of doctoral degrees by passing a resolution by the Faculty Councils and the Senate.

As stated in the resolution: “The revocations of doctoral degrees implemented at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen between 1933 and 1945 on the basis of the National Socialist ideology violated fundamental principles of the rule of law and constituted a major violation of human rights. All these ideologically motivated revocations disregarded the scientific achievements of the doctoral graduates, expelled them from the academic community, publicly humiliated them, and destroyed their professional prospects.”

It continues: “With this rehabilitation resolution, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg explicitly affirms that these ideologically motivated injustices were, from the outset, null and void under the principles of a liberal democratic rule of law and are therefore without legal effect.” Those affected by these injustices included Jewish academics, whose doctoral degrees were revoked within the context of the stripping of their citizenship, for instance the mathematician and world chess champion Dr. Emanuel Lasker. Academics were also stripped of their titles on the basis of judgments passed by the People’s Court, such as Dr. Joseph Drexel, who later established the Nürnberger Nachrichten newspaper.

FAU President Prof. Dr. Joachim Hornegger considers this step a matter of great importance: “FAU has already published the circumstances surrounding these revocations and the personal stories of those affected. The resolution passed by the committees responsible officially underlines the invalidity of these unjust acts. Many of those affected can no longer witness this moment in person. This is precisely why it is so important for us to give their rehabilitation the respect it deserves and ensure it remains permanently visible to the public on our website.”

⛶

⛶

⛶

⛶

⛶

⛶

⛶

⛶

⛶

⛶

⛶

⛶