Gerhard Kittel

Biography of Gerhard Kittel

Early Life and Education

Gerhard Kittel (September 23, 1888 – July 11, 1948) was born in Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland), into an academic family. His father, Rudolf Kittel, was a prominent Old Testament scholar. Gerhard pursued theology at universities in Leipzig, Tübingen, and Berlin, earning his doctorate in 1913. His early work focused on New Testament studies, particularly the intersection of early Christianity with Jewish and Hellenistic contexts.

Academic Career

Kittel became a professor at the University of Greifswald in 1921 and later moved to the University of Tübingen in 1926. His scholarly reputation grew with works like Die Probleme des palästinischen Spätjudentums und das Urchristentum (1926), exploring Jewish influences on early Christianity. However, his most enduring contribution was initiating the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT, Theologisches Wörterbuch zum Neuen Testament), a multi-volume lexicon tracing Greek terms through Jewish, Greco-Roman, and early Christian texts. The first volume appeared in 1933, with Kittel as editor, though the project continued posthumously until 1979.

Nazi Affiliation and Controversy

In 1933, Kittel joined the Nazi Party, aligning his scholarship with Nazi ideology. He authored essays and lectured at conferences, including the 1942 "Jewish Question" symposium in Frankfurt, where he provided theological justifications for anti-Semitic policies. Kittel argued that Judaism had degenerated by the first century, positing Jesus as a non-Jewish figure opposing Pharisaic traditions. His writings, such as Die Judenfrage (1933), supported segregation and anti-Jewish measures, though he opposed physical extermination.

Post-War Trial and Denazification

After World War II, Kittel was arrested by Allied forces and interned until 1946. During denazification, he was classified as a Mitläufer (fellow traveler), avoiding severe punishment but ending his academic career. He defended his actions as apolitical scholarship, yet his legacy remains marred by collaboration.

Death and Legacy

Kittel died in Tübingen in 1948. The TDNT, despite methodological critiques (e.g., James Barr's criticism of "root fallacy"), remains a reference tool, though scholars acknowledge its ideological biases. Kittel’s career serves as a cautionary tale of academic complicity with oppressive regimes. Modern evaluations, such as those in Robert P. Ericksen’s Theologians Under Hitler, underscore the ethical responsibilities of scholars.

Key Works

• Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1933–1979, editor)
• Die Judenfrage (1933)
• Christus und Imperator (1939)

Controversy and Reflection

“Kittel’s legacy is bifurcated: his scholarly contributions coexist with his moral failings. While the TDNT influenced biblical studies, his Nazi affiliations remind academia of the peril in conflating scholarship with ideology.”

His life prompts ongoing debates about the role of intellectuals in societal ethics, emphasizing the need for vigilance against ideological corruption in academic pursuits.

Further Reading

For deeper insights into Kittel’s ideological alignment, see Robert P. Ericksen’s Theologians Under Hitler (1985).