Friedrich Heer


Friedrich Heer was an Austrian historian born in Vienna.

Early life

Heer received a PhD at the University in Vienna in 1938. Even as a student, he came into conflict with pan-German historians as a staunch opponent of National Socialism.
He was arrested for the first time on 11 March 1938 by the Austrian Nazis. He founded a small Catholic resistance group and sought to amalgamate into one organised band the Christians, communists and trade unionists against the Nazis. As a soldier, he later came into contact with the resistance group "Soldatenrat".

Career

From 1946 to 1961, he was the editor of the weekly magazine Die Furche , and in 1961, he was appointed chief literacy to the Vienna Burgtheater. He taught at the University of Vienna. Most of his books have been translated into several languages.

Later life

In 1967, he became the first winner of the Martin Buber-Franz Rosenzweig Medal, awarded by a group of forty-four German societies for Christian and Jewish understanding, for his achievement with God's First Love.
He died in Vienna.

Decorations and awards