Paul Oestreicher
Encyclopedia
Paul Oestreicher is an Anglican priest.
, where he grew up. He studied German studies
and political sciences from 1949 to 1955, when he moved to Bonn
for a one-year research fellowship to study Christianity and Marxism under professor Helmut Gollwitzer
. He then spent time at a seminary in Lincoln from 1956 until 1958, before spending 1958 and 1959 as assistant guest pastor to the Protestant church in Rǖsselsheim in the church province ofHessen-Nassau.
In 1959 he was ordained deacon in St Paul's Cathedral London and priest a year later. He served as curate in the parish of Holy Trinity, Dalston in east London. From 1961 to 1964 he was a programme producer in the religious department of the BBC from 1964 to 1969 was the Secretary of the East Europe Relations Department of the British Council of Churches. He took an active part early on in the Christian Peace Conference (Prague) and in 1964 was elected to its executive committee. On account of his critique of Soviet policies he was expelled from the Executive in 1968. From 1968 to 1981 he was the parish priest of the Church of the Ascension, Blackheath
, and from 1981 to 1985 the Director of the Division of International Affairs of the British Council of Churches. During this period he became a member of the Society of Friends, and from 1985 to 1987 was a residentiary canon
of Coventry Cathedral
and director of the Cathedral's Centre for International Reconciliation. He made a substantial contribution to the work of the Dresden Trust, which raised funds in the UK for the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche
in Dresden
.
He retired from the Cathedral in 1998, becoming its Canon Emeritus
and moving to Brighton
, where he lives with his second wife, the New Zealander Barbara Einhorn, a professor at the University of Sussex
. He travelled through Germany in autumn 2010. He still works as a journalist and expert on human rights, peace, faith and society. As chairman of the British section of Amnesty International
, he worked for political prisoners in Eastern Europe during the Cold War
and South Africa under apartheid. He has also worked for the end of the Cold War, German reunification
, and improving relations between the Church of England and churches in East Germany and South Africa.
Life and work
In 1938, shortly after he began school, his family had to leave Germany due to the Jewish ancestry of his father, the paediatrician Paul Oestreicher (1896–1981). They moved to New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, where he grew up. He studied German studies
German studies
German studies is the field of humanities that researches, documents, and disseminates German language and literature in both its historic and present forms. Academic departments of German studies often include classes on German culture, German history, and German politics in addition to the...
and political sciences from 1949 to 1955, when he moved to Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
for a one-year research fellowship to study Christianity and Marxism under professor Helmut Gollwitzer
Helmut Gollwitzer
Helmut Gollwitzer was a Protestant theologian and author.Born in Bavaria, Gollwitzer studied Protestant theology in Munich, Erlangen, Jena and Bonn ; he later completed a doctorate under Karl Barth in Basel , writing on the understanding of the eucharist in Martin Luther and John Calvin.During...
. He then spent time at a seminary in Lincoln from 1956 until 1958, before spending 1958 and 1959 as assistant guest pastor to the Protestant church in Rǖsselsheim in the church province ofHessen-Nassau.
In 1959 he was ordained deacon in St Paul's Cathedral London and priest a year later. He served as curate in the parish of Holy Trinity, Dalston in east London. From 1961 to 1964 he was a programme producer in the religious department of the BBC from 1964 to 1969 was the Secretary of the East Europe Relations Department of the British Council of Churches. He took an active part early on in the Christian Peace Conference (Prague) and in 1964 was elected to its executive committee. On account of his critique of Soviet policies he was expelled from the Executive in 1968. From 1968 to 1981 he was the parish priest of the Church of the Ascension, Blackheath
Blackheath
Blackheath is the name of a number of places:*Blackheath, London, England**Blackheath, Kent *Blackheath, Surrey, England**Blackheath, Surrey *Blackheath, West Midlands, England*Blackheath, New South Wales, Australia...
, and from 1981 to 1985 the Director of the Division of International Affairs of the British Council of Churches. During this period he became a member of the Society of Friends, and from 1985 to 1987 was a residentiary canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael's Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The current bishop is the Right Revd Christopher Cocksworth....
and director of the Cathedral's Centre for International Reconciliation. He made a substantial contribution to the work of the Dresden Trust, which raised funds in the UK for the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche
Dresden Frauenkirche
The Dresden Frauenkirche is a Lutheran church in Dresden, eastern Germany.Built in the 18th century, the church was destroyed in the firebombing of Dresden during World War II. It has been reconstructed as a landmark symbol of reconciliation between former warring enemies...
in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
.
He retired from the Cathedral in 1998, becoming its Canon Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
and moving to Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, where he lives with his second wife, the New Zealander Barbara Einhorn, a professor at the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
. He travelled through Germany in autumn 2010. He still works as a journalist and expert on human rights, peace, faith and society. As chairman of the British section of Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, he worked for political prisoners in Eastern Europe during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and South Africa under apartheid. He has also worked for the end of the Cold War, German reunification
German reunification
German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany , and when Berlin reunited into a single city, as provided by its then Grundgesetz constitution Article 23. The start of this process is commonly referred by Germans as die...
, and improving relations between the Church of England and churches in East Germany and South Africa.
External links
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/pauloestreicher
- Works on and by Oestreicher in the Deutschen Nationalbibliothek
- Other works by Oestreicher