Detlev Lüders

Detlev Lüders (1 November 1929 — 9 August 2012) was a German academic who served as the director of the Freies Deutsches Hochstift between 1963 and 1982.

Life

Lüders was born in Hamburg on 1 November 1929. He attended the Hamburger Landeskunstschule, studying art. He transferred to the University of Hamburg in 1948, where he studied literature and art history. In 1953, as a doctoral student, Lüders wrote to Martin Heidegger, arguing "I do not understand how a text can be based on its interpretation" and Heidegger replied, asking "Is there a text in itself?". Lüders received his doctorate in 1958, Lüders retired from the Hochstift for health reasons on 30 September 1982 after 19 years as director. He was replaced by on a temporary basis until his successor, Christoph Perels, was selected.

Lüders died on 9 August 2012, aged 82.