Heidelberg – World Capital of Philosophy

Prof. Dr. Jean Grondin, Université de Montréal/Canada, Département de Philosophie

Studies of philosophy, classical philology and theology at the universities of Montréal, Heidelberg and Tübingen

Gadamer expert, study visits and numerous research visits at Heidelberg University

When, how long and in what position did you stay at Heidelberg University?

When I was at university in Canada in the 1970s, Hans-Georg Gadamer, professor emeritus of philosophy from Heidelberg, who often came to visit, suggested a stay in Heidelberg. I was able to go to Heidelberg on a scholarship, returned frequently to Ruperto Carola afterwards, and finally earned my PhD in Tübingen with a thesis on Gadamer. Then I accepted a position at Université Laval in Québec and later became a professor in Montréal – but my heart always stayed in Heidelberg: I came back often to do research and to meet with Gadamer. Even after Gadamer's death in 2002 I stayed in touch with his family and with the Department of Philosophy. In 2011, having won the Konrad Adenauer Research Award of the Humboldt Foundation, I was able to spend another wonderful summer semester in Heidelberg.

Why did you decide to come to Heidelberg University?

In a sense, Heidelberg came to me before I could decide to go there: I was fascinated by Gadamer, and Heidelberg was the natural world capital of philosophy. Ruperto Carola has a glorious, centuries-long history and is still the leading German university. It also holds a special place in the world of philosophy: besides Gadamer and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, it was home to philosophers like Karl Jaspers, Kuno Fischer, Heinrich Rickert and many others. I think every German professor probably wants to be invited to work in Heidelberg.

What were your experiences in Heidelberg?

I was there as a student, as a young lecturer, as a Gadamer biographer, as an experienced and award-winning researcher – I have found many friends there. It's the philosophy and the events related to Gadamer that stand out in my memory: especially Gadamer's 90th and 100th birthdays in 1990 and 2000. Those were highlights of my life and my career as a researcher. I just feel at home in Heidelberg and I'm lucky to be in this position. These days, I sometimes feel a little wistful in Heidelberg, because I miss Gadamer and his way of philosophising. Wherever I look I see a restaurant, a café or a bar where I talked either with him or one of his students about this and that.

How did your career continue after your time in Heidelberg?

I hope that my time in Heidelberg will never be over – I want to come back again and again! I owe my career mostly to my time in Heidelberg and my research on Gadamer and his biography. I have never stopped conducting philosophical research the way I learned there. I have received chairs in Canada, a scholarship, a few national and international awards that all have to do with my Gadamer research and with Heidelberg. When I am in South America or Japan as a visiting professor or guest speaker, people want to hear about hermeneutics – which is basically the Heidelberg spirit. I am pleased to be an ambassador for Heidelberg in a way.

Do you recommend a research visit to Heidelberg University to your students or to colleagues in your scientific network?

Absolutely. Obviously the word network didn't exist when I was there. For the most part, I send my students to Heidelberg to learn German (as I did), but I never doubt for a moment that they will be captured by the city and its wonderful liberal spirit and end up staying longer – just like me.