Prof. Dr. Mathias Schmoeckel
Executive Director of the Institute for German and Rhenish Legal History and Civil Law
Managing Director of the Rhenish Institute for Notarial Law
So-called ‘German’ legal history serves to link the study of law with other disciplines and faculties – not only with history and philosophy within the ‘philosophical’ faculty, but also, and indeed particularly, with the theological faculties, given the influence of theology on the law. Equally rewarding are the links with other historical disciplines, such as the history of medicine or economic history. Legal history must fulfil these functions in order to foster a vibrant, multifaceted academic discipline at the university. This gives rise, for example, to the following areas of focus in legal history at Bonn.
Key research areas
- Law and Religion (Canon Law, Reformation)
- History of the Law of Evidence / Legal Hermeneutics (6th–19th centuries)
- History of International Law (19th–20th centuries)
- History of Civil Law (20th century)
- History of National Socialism
- Legal history of the economy
- Comparative legal history
- History of private law
- History of the Rhineland
- History of criminal law
- Inheritance law
Publications
Curriculum Vitae
Prof. Dr. Mathias Schmoeckel, born in Flensburg in 1963, completed his legal training at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, where he also obtained his doctorate and habilitation. Following offers from several universities, he was appointed Professor of German and Rhenish Legal History at the University of Bonn on 1 June 1999.
- 1983–1989: Studied art history at the University of Bonn and law in Bonn, Geneva and Munich
- 1989: First state examination in law
- 1993: Second state examination in law
- 1993 to 1999: Research assistant at the Institute for German and Bavarian Legal History at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
- 1993–1999: PhD in Munich under Hermann Nehlsen with the thesis ‘The Greater Region Theory. A contribution to the history of international law scholarship in the Third Reich, particularly during the war years’
- 1999: Habilitation with a thesis on the development of the law of evidence and criminal procedure from 1200 to 1800; granted the veniae legendi for subjects including German and ecclesiastical legal history, the history of international law and civil law
- 1999: Appointed Professor of German and Rhenish Legal History at the Rhenish Friedrich-Wilhelms University
Winter semester 2003/2004: Visiting professor at the Faculté Jean Monnet, Université de Paris-Sud (Paris XI) - 12–16 September 2004: Host of the 35th German Legal Historians’ Conference, under the patronage of the President of the Italian Republic and the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Oct. 2005: Together with Prof. Orazio Condorelli, Catania, Director of the 25th Course of the ‘International School of Ius Commune’
- Since 2011: Contributor to the international doctoral programme ‘Gratianus’ at the University of Paris XI
- 2019: George Sarton Medal from Ghent University
- Institute for German and Rhenish Legal History and Civil Law at the University of Bonn, Executive Director
- Rhenish Institute for Notarial Law,
Executive Director - Since 2002, Liaison Lecturer for the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
- October 2003 – October 2004: Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Bonn
- October 2004 – October 2005: Vice-Dean, Chair of the Department of Law
Other positions and memberships
- Corresponding Member of the Istituto Lombardo. Accademia di Scienze e Lettere, Class of Moral Sciences, Section of Historical and Philosophical Sciences, Milan
- Member of the Centre for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University, Atlanta
- Stephan Kuttner Institute of Medieval Canon Law: Board of Directors
- ICMAC (Iuris canonici medii aevi consotiatio): Advisory Board
- Althusius Society: Executive Committee
- Bonn Legal Forum: Chairman of the Executive Committee
- Bonn Institute for Notarial Law: Managing Director
- Co-editor of: ‘Bonner Schriften zur Universitäts- und Wissenschaftsgeschichte’
- As co-editor of: ‘Revue historique de droit français et étranger’
- until 2017: Editor of ‘Forum Historiae Juris’
- since 2024: Member of the Editorial Committee of the Rivista Internazionale di Diritto Comune
- ‘Forschungen zur neueren Privatrechtsgeschichte (Böhlau)’
- ‘Rheinische Schriften zur Rechtsgeschichte (Nomos)’
- ‘Rechtshistorische Reihe (Lang)’
- ‘Rechtsordnung und Wirtschaftsgeschichte (Mohr)’
- ‘Schriften des Rheinischen Vereins für Rechtsgeschichte (Böhlau)’
- ‘Studien des Bonner Zentrums für Religion und Gesellschaft (Ergon)’
- ‘Studia Gratiana: Advisory Board’
- ‘Clio@Themis’ (correspondent)
Contact
Institute for German and Rhenish Legal History and Civil Law
Tel. +49 (0)228 73-9131
E-Mail: rgesch@jura.uni-bonn.de
Adenauerallee 24 - 42, 53113 Bonn