In Memory of our Honorary President Prof. em. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Peter Hünermann

Peter Hünermann took over the newly created office of President of the KAAD in 1985. In the first years of his presidency, he created a new structure for our scholarship organization by establishing a network of partner committees. Through these partner structures, KAAD's funding work was linked back to the local churches, thus anchoring the interests and needs of the partner countries in KAAD's selection and funding policy. Similarly, the KAAD office was divided into five continental departments in order to intensify cooperation with the local partners. The Annual Academy, the annual highlight of our educational work, also goes back to Peter Hünermann. 

Peter Hünermann retired from the office of President in 2002, but remained closely associated with the KAAD as Honorary President. In 2008, he established the KAAD Foundation Peter Hünermann, which provides financial support for educational events and projects organized by KAAD alumnae and alumni. In particular, the foundation promotes the joint commitment of former scholarship holders in their respective countries of origin and thus strengthens sustainable educational work in the KAAD's international network. In 2022, at the proud age of 93, he presented the tenth KAAD-Stiftung Peter Hünermann Award at the Annual Academy to African peace and conflict researcher Dr Constansia Mumma-Martinon, who called him "a symbol of wisdom, a rare jewel, a father to the KAAD family". 

Peter Hünermann was born in Berlin on 8 March 1929. He studied Roman Catholic theology in Rome, was ordained a priest there in 1955 and received his doctorate in 1958. He habilitated in Freiburg im Breisgau in 1967. One year later, together with the philosopher of religion Prof. Dr. Bernhard Welte, he founded the scholarship organization Lateinamerika-Deutschland e.V. (ICALA) in order to intensify academic cooperation between Latin American and German universities in philosophical and theological research as well as in education and the social sciences. From 1971 to 1982, he taught as Professor of Dogmatics at the University of Münster, and from 1982 until his retirement in 1997 at the University of Tübingen.
For his academic work, Peter Hünermann received honorary doctorates from the Universidad Católica Boliviana in Cochabamba, the Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina in Buenos Aires, the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg and the Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Erfurt.

Peter Hünermann actively supported the work of the KAAD with great dedication until his old age. He was an attentive interlocutor whose love of humanity, priestly concern and theological zeal gave guidance to many. He always regarded the KAAD as a work of world church solidarity with young academics in the Global South. 

With great gratitude and sadness, the KAAD bids farewell to a long-time friend and supporter. May he rest in peace.