Volkmar Fritz

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Volkmar Fritz (born February 12, 1938 in Düren ; † August 21, 2007 in Bad Schwartau ) was a German biblical archaeologist .

Live and act

Volkmar Fritz first studied Protestant theology at the University of Tübingen , the Free University of Berlin , the University of Heidelberg , the University of Marburg and the University of Bonn . In 1964 he was one of the first Germans to study in Israel after the Holocaust . His subject, which he took at the University of Jerusalem , was the archeology of the "Holy Land", his most important teacher in Israel was Yohanan Aharoni . With him he took part in the excavations of the temples of Arad in 1965 and 1967 . In 1968 he did his doctorate in Marburg on Israel in the desert. Traditional historical research into the desert tradition of the Yahwists . In 1973, he completed his habilitation in Protestant theology at the University of Mainz . The subject of the habilitation thesis was again archaeological and related to the research in Arad: temple and tent. Studies on temple building in Israel and on the tent sanctuary of the priestly scriptures .

During his teaching activity in Mainz, finally as a professor, he built up a comprehensive library for biblical-archaeological research, which became one of the most important research institutions on this topic in Europe. His students shape the image of biblical archeology in Germany today. Since 1972 he was the first German to lead an excavation in Israel. In the Negev desert he conducted research at Tel Masos on the beginnings of the Israelite people. Further excavations led him to the Sea of ​​Galilee , where he led scientific excavations in the area of Tell el-Oreme from 1982 to 1985 and again from 1994 to 1999 .

Fritz laid the foundations for the particularly good relations between the archaeological circles in Israel and Germany, which are free from historical problems. In this context, Fritz's serious working method, which does not contain any religious zeal, prejudice or hasty judgments, is also emphasized.

In 1987 Fritz took over the chair for Old Testament and Biblical Archeology at the Institute for Evangelical Theology at the University of Giessen , which he held until his retirement in 2003. From 1994 to 1999 Fritz also took over the management of the German Evangelical Institute for Classical Studies of the Holy Land in Jerusalem, for which he was given leave of absence from his teaching position in Giessen. In his studies in the excavations, he dealt mainly with the period of the Iron Age in the area of ​​what is now the State of Israel. In doing so, he developed a special ability to deal with the architectural issues of the excavated remains of the buildings, their construction and type of use.

Fritz's students include Roland Deines and Anke Joisten-Pruschke .

Grave of Volkmar Fritz in the main cemetery in Mainz

Fritz was married twice and had three daughters from his first marriage and a son.

Fonts (selection)

  • Israel in the desert. Traditional historical research into the desert tradition of the Yahwists . Elwert, Marburg 1970 (Marburg Theological Studies 7).
  • Introduction to Biblical Archeology . Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 1985, ISBN 3-534-09065-9 .
  • Small encyclopedia of biblical archeology . Christliche Verlags-Anstalt, Konstanz 1987, ISBN 3-7673-7626-1 (Bible, Church, Parish, Vol. 26).
  • (Ed.) Kinneret. Results of the excavations on Tell el-ʿOrēme on Lake Gennesaret 1982–1985 . Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1990, ISBN 3-447-03049-6 (Treatises of the German Palestine Association, Vol. 15).
  • The city in ancient Israel . CH Beck, Munich 1990, ISBN 3-406-34578-6 (Beck's archaeological library).
  • The book of Joshua . Mohr, Tübingen 1994, ISBN 3-16-146089-8 (HAT / Handbuch zum Alten Testament. Series 1, 7).
  • The first book of kings , TVZ, Zurich 1996 (Zurich Bible Commentaries, Vol. 10/1).
  • The second book of kings , TVZ, Zurich 1998 (Zürcher Bibelkommentare, Vol. 10/2).
  • The creation of Israel in the 12th and 11th centuries BC Chr. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart a. a. 1996, ISBN 3-17-012331-9 (Biblical Encyclopedia, Vol. 2).
  • Studies on the Literature and History of Ancient Israel . Katholisches Bibelwerk, Stuttgart 1997, ISBN 3-460-06221-5 (Stuttgart biblical essays, vol. 22).

literature

Festschriften
  • Cornelis G. den Hertog (Ed.): Saxa loquentur. Studies on the archeology of Palestine, Israel. Festschrift for Volkmar Fritz on his 65th birthday . Ugarit-Verlag, Münster 2003, ISBN 3-934628-34-6 (Old Orient and Old Testament, vol. 302)
  • Gabriele Fassbeck (ed.): Life on the lake Gennesaret. Cultural and historical discoveries in a biblical region . von Zabern, Mainz 2003, ISBN 3-8053-2914-8 ( Zabern's illustrated books on archeology / special issue of the ancient world )

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Fritz, Volkmar
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German biblical archaeologist
DATE OF BIRTH February 12, 1938
PLACE OF BIRTH Düren
DATE OF DEATH August 21, 2007
Place of death Bad Schwartau