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Günter Niggl: A Life for German Literature celebrates 90 years!
Günter Niggl, pioneer of literary studies at the KU Ingolstadt, died on February 8, 2025. His life's work is being honored.
Günter Niggl: A Life for German Literature celebrates 90 years!
Günter Niggl, who was born on July 12, 1934 in Augsburg, is a prominent figure in the world of German studies, especially at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (KU). He died on February 8, 2025 at the age of 90. Niggl grew up in Augsburg, where he also graduated from high school. He then devoted himself to studying German, history and Catholic theology at the universities of Munich and Berlin.
His academic career was remarkable and took him to various scientific positions, including in Trier, Regensburg, Freiburg and Munich. In Munich he did his doctorate on the subject of “Fromm in Goethe” and completed his habilitation with a thesis on “German autobiography in the 18th century”. In 1977 he became the first holder of the chair for modern German literature (NDL) at the Eichstätt Church Comprehensive University, where he taught and researched until his retirement in 2002. Niggl is considered the founding father of the NDL at Eichstätt University and leaves a lasting mark on the academic world.
Influential contributions to German studies
As a professor, Niggl gave lectures and seminars on many important German authors, including Goethe, Benn, Brecht, Dürrenmatt and Kafka. He often referred to Goethe as his “house author”. His lectures were popular among students and often attracted large numbers of participants, such as his introductory seminar on Georg Büchner with 150 participants in Munich. During his career, he also supervised numerous doctoral students and was active in various faculty positions, including positions as senator and dean of the Faculty of Languages and Literatures at KU.
A highlight of Niggl's career was the honorary doctorate for the Nobel Prize winner Peter Handke in 1993, which was due to Niggl's initiative. He made a decisive contribution to creating a well-founded framework for the subject in Eichstätt and outlined his influence in the anthology “Veritati et Vitae”. Niggl worked on a monograph about late 18th century German authors' engagement with ancient poetry and ultimately also published a monograph on “Religion in Goethe's Poetry” in 2010.
Personal insights and legacy
Günter Niggl grew up as the son of the teacher Hans Niggl and his wife Erna and had a younger sister, Elisabeth. The family placed great value on education, which is reflected in Niggl's career. He married his wife Irmgard in 1962, and their son Bernhard was born in 1974. Even after his retirement, Niggl remained active and regularly visited the university library, always looking for new insights and ideas for his research.
His life's work testifies to a deep passion for literature and the imparting of knowledge. On the occasion of his 90th birthday, he was wished good health and creative ideas for his ongoing studies of Herder, Klopstock, Wieland, Schiller and Goethe. The Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt will honor his memory and remember his contribution to German studies. Günter Niggl embodies not only academic excellence, but also the human dimension that makes the study of literature so enriching.