73. On the Freedom of Teaching

The words spoken a few days ago by the newly elected Rector of Heidelberg University to the students as they presented him with the customary torchlight procession deserve to be heard in the widest circles. We have heard so often in recent weeks that professors are civil servants of the state and that governments must treat them accordingly. What can a reactionary government do with such a demand? Any university teacher who takes a stand that is contrary to the regressive sense or even just the ignorance of those in power can be persecuted as a recalcitrant civil servant. The freedom of teaching and learning guaranteed to universities can simply be abolished by this demand. Professor Paulsen recently pointed out in the "Preußische Jahrbücher" that professor comes from profiteri, i.e. "to confess publicly". The rector of Heidelberg, Professor Osthoff, agrees with him. All progress in science depends on the freedom to teach and learn. Only if the university teacher can publicly confess the results of his science can he fulfill his profession in the higher sense. If any of these results run counter to the interests of a state, then the state must reform itself according to science. From the achievements of intellectual life, new lifeblood must always be supplied to the social institutions. Osthoff emphasizes that the necessary counterpart to freedom of teaching is the freedom to teach. Where is this freedom to teach supposed to lead if the teacher has to look to those in power with every word? Osthoff's speech fell like a bright ray of sunshine into our circle of vision, which is darkened on all sides by the powers of darkness. We can hear the sentiment in it: You should obey free research more than state interests! We must wish the Rector of Heidelberg comrades with this attitude. In the long run, the reactionary powers will not be able to stand up to the courage of university teachers and the independence of free researchers. Even the churches have never been able to extinguish the lights that intellectual progress has kindled. What we need most of all in the spiritual professions are men who profess freedom because they love freedom. Speaking of ministries of the spirit and serving reaction is something our professors should leave to the "statesmen".