Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger

Hermann Parzinger, a prehistorian and professor, has been President of the Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz since 2008. He still directs research projects and publishes regularly. He has received numerous awards.

President Hermann Parzinger in the Villa von der Heydt (Opens a Larger Version of the Image)

The President of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Prof. Dr. Hermann Parzinger © SPK / Herlinde Koelbl

Brief Curriculum Vitae

  • Born in Munich on 12 March 1959
  • Studied pre- and early history (prehistoric archaeology), provincial Roman archaeology and medieval history in Munich, Saarbrücken and Ljubljana, 1985: PhD and assistant professor at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich, 1990: Habilitation (Post-doctoral degree)
  • 1990: Appointed Vice Director of the Römisch-Germanische Kommission of the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut; 1995–2003: Founding Director of the Eurasia Department of the DAI; 2003–8: President of the DAI
  • Excavations and archaeological research projects in Siberia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Iran
  • Important honours and prizes: 1998: Leibniz Prize of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation, DFG), 2009: Awarded Order of Friendship by the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev; 2012: Accepted into the Order Pour le mérite for the Sciences and Arts
  • Membership in, among others, the British Academy, the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften (Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities) and the American Philosophical Society, spokesman of Deutsch-Russischer Museumsdialog (German-Russian Museum Dialogue), Director of the Working Group on Culture of the Petersburger Dialog.

Professional Career

since 03/2008
President, Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz (Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation)

2/2012 – 02/2008
President of the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (German Archaeological Institute)

01/1995 – 01/2003
Founding Director of the Eurasian Divison of the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (German Archaeological Institute) in Berlin

02/1992   
Further postdoctoral research, appointment as Lecturer at the Universität Frankfurt/Main

09/1990 – 12/1994
Second Director of the Roman-German Committee of the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (German Archaeological Institute) in Frankfurt/Main

02/1991
Conclusion of post-doctoral research, appointment as Lecturer at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Title of post-doctoral thesis: “Studies on the chronology and cultural history of the Late Stone, Bronze and Early Bronze Ages between Carpathia and the central Taunus” (published 1993)

10/1986 – 08/1990
Academic assistant, Institut für Vor- und Frühgeschichte (Institute for Prehistory and Early History) at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

10/1985 – 09/1986
Travelling scholarship from the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (German Archaeological Institute), visiting Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Israel, Syria, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Greece and Italy

02/1985
Doctoral degree (Dr. phil) at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, under the supervision of Professor Georg Kossack. Title of thesis: Studies on the chronology of the Late Hallstatt and Early La Tène Period (published 1989)

02/1984
MA degree, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (University of Munich). Title of thesis: “The position of the Laibach bank settlements in the Aeneolithic and early Bronze Age cultural system of the central Danube countries” (published 1984)

02/1984 – 09/1982
Visiting student, University of Ljubljana and Archaeological Institute of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences

10/1981 – 03/1985
Student, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

04/1981 – 09/1981
Student, Universität des Saarlandes in Saarbrücken

10/1979 – 03/1981
Student of prehistory and early history (main subject), Medieval history and Roman Provincial Archaeology (subsidiary subjects) at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Research Projects

2012 – 2018
“Grosskurgane der Skythenzeit in den Steppen des Vorkaukasus, Gebiet Stavropol”; Subproject as part of the project Monumentalized Knowledge: XXL Projects in Ancient Civilizations (B–2) in the context of the Berlin cluster of excellence TOPOI: Formation and Transformation of Space and Knowledge in Ancient Civilizations (TOPOI cluster of excellence, German Research Foundation/DFG).
Cooperation with the Eurasia division of the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin, the Institut Ausonius de recherche sur l’Antiquité et le Moyen-Age of the CNRS in Bordeaux and the Institute for Preventive Archaeology in Stavropol.

2011 – 2015
Russian Museums in the Second World War. The History of the Museum Cities Novgorod and Pskov as well as the Czars’ Palaces of Tsarskoe Selo, Peterhof, Gatchina and Pavlovsk and Their Collections from 1941 until the Early 1950s (Volkswagen Foundation).
Cooperation with the Kulturstiftung der Länder (Cultural Foundation of the German States), the German-Russian Museum Dialogue, the Russian Ministry of Culture and the Russian Federation of Museums.

2010 – 2012
Support for the Institutional Development of the Georgian National Museum (EU Twinning project).
Cooperation with the Georgian National Museum in Tbilisi.

2008 – 2012
Research project Paleogenetic Research: Economic Innovations and Social Mobility in the Eurasian Steppe 3500–300 BC (German Federal Ministry of Education and Research support focus area Interactions between the Natural and Social Sciences).
Cooperation with the Freie Universität Berlin and the University of Mainz.

2008 – 2011
Research project on the development of culture and settlement in Semirech’e, southeast Kazakhstan, in the late Bronze period until the Early Hun period, with excavations in the Sakan and Hun-era necropolises near Zhuan-Tube (2008), Kegen (2009), and Majemir (2010) and in the region of Aktjube (2011); Subproject within the project Spatial Effects of Technological Innovations and Changing Ways of Life (A-II) in the context of the Berlin cluster of excellence TOPOI: Formation and Transformation of Space and Knowledge in Ancient Civilizations (TOPOI cluster of excellence, German Research Foundation/DFG).
Cooperation with the Eurasia division of the German Archaeological Institute in Berlin and the Institute for Archaeology of the Kazakhstan Academy of Sciences in Almaty.

2004 – 2007
Conception and preparation of the major exhibition on Scythians, organized together with the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin – Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz, “Im Zeichen des Goldenen Greifen: Königsgräber der Skythen” (opened on July 4, 2007, at the Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin) under the auspices of Horst Köhler, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as the presidents of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

2006
Excavations in “ice kurgans” of the Pazyryk culture in the Mongolian part of the Altai (Ulan-Daba, Olon-Kurin-Gol).
Cooperation with the Institute for Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian division of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk and the Institute for Archaeology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences in Ulaanbaatar.

2005 – 2010
Resumption of the project on the development of settlement and culture from the Early Neolithic until the beginning of the Middle Bronze period in a settlement cluster near Kırklareli in Turkish Thrace, with excavations in the early to late Neolithic part of Aşağı Pınar as well as in the Early Bronze period settlement mound of Kırklareli.
Cooperation with the University of Istanbul, prehistoric department.

2000 – 2004
Excavations in the Late Chalcolithic until the Early Bronze period metallurgy settlement of Arisman near Kashan, western central Iran. Cooperation with the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organisation.

2000 – 2004
Excavations in the Scythian-period princely burial mound Arzhan 2 (German Research Foundation/DFG). Cooperation with the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg.

1999 – 2004
Excavations in the Late Bronze and Early Iron period settlement of Chicha in the West Siberian forest steppe (German Research Foundation/DFG).
Cooperation with the Institute for Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian division of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk.

1997 – 1999
Overall direction of the research project Das Zinn der Bronzezeit in Zentralasien with excavations in Bronze Age tin mines and mining settlements in Uzbekistan (Karnab, Kyzylkum) and Tajikistan (Mushiston) (Volkswagen Foundation).
Cooperation with the Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum and the Bergakademie-TU Freiberg as well as the Institute for Archaeology of the Uzbek Academy of Sciences in Samarkand and the Historical Institute of the Tajik Academy of Sciences in Dushanbe.

1997 – 1999
Investigation of the Scythian-period large-scale kurgan of Bajkara, northern Kazakhstan.
Cooperation with the State North Kazakh University in Petropavlovsk.

1997
Excavations in a Scythian-period kurgan near Arzhan-Tarlag. Cooperation with the Institute for Cultural and Natural Heritage in St. Petersburg.

1995 – 2003
Excavations in the multiple-period burial grounds of Suchanicha (1995-1997, 1999, 2000 and 2003) and Potroshilovo (1995) to produce a detailed chronology from the Aeneolithic until the beginning of the early middle ages in the Minusinsk Hollow.
Cooperation with the Minusinsk Regional Museum and the Chakassian State University in Abakan.

1993 – 1998
Project on the development of settlement and culture from the Early Neolithic until the start of the Middle Bronze period in a settlement area near Kırklareli, Turkish Thrace, with excavations in the Early to Late Neolithic tell of Aşağı Pınar as well as in the Early Bronze period settlement mound of Kırklareli (German Research Foundation/DFG).
Cooperation with the University of Istanbul, prehistoric department.

1992 – 1995
Excavations in the Celtiberian Castro von Soto de Bureba near Burgos. Investigations into the development of settlement and culture from the Late Bronze period until the Early Roman period.
Cooperation with the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

1991
Survey in the settlement area La Bureba, Prov. Burgos.
Cooperation with the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

1988 – 1989
Material studies in Yugoslavia, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey in preparation of postdoctoral thesis (German Research Foundation/DFG).

1983 – 1985
Examination of Hittite ceramics from the excavations in the upper town of Boğazköy-Hattuša (published 1992).

1982 – 1985
Student assistant at the excavations of the German Archaeological Institute in the Hittite capital with independent leadership of the investigations at Sarı-Kale in the upper town.

1980 – 1981
Student assistant at the excavations of the German Archaeological Institute of a Phoenician foreign trading post at Torre del Mar near Malaga.

1980
Student assistant on the excavations of the German Archaeological Institute at the Mycenaean fortress of Tiryns.

Honorary positions, memberships of committees and advisory boards

since 2021
Chancellor of the Order Pour le mérite for the Arts and Sciences

since 2018
Executive President of Europa Nostra

since 2017 
Foundation board of the Stiftung Berliner Philharmoniker

since 2017
Scientific advisory council of the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung, Cologne

since 2017
Convention of Baukultur of the Federal Foundation of Baukultur 

2016 – 2018
Founding directorate of the Humboldt Forum, Berlin

since 2014
Research board of the Austrian Academy of Sciences

since 2013
Senate of the Deutsche Nationalstiftung

since 2011
Jury for the Gerda Henkel Prize of the Gerda Henkel Stiftung

since 2011
International advisory board of the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg

2011 – 2017
President of the German Association for Archaeology (DVA) 

Membership in Academies and Institutes

since 2016
Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences

since 2014
Honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

since 2013
Member of the American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia

since 2012
Corresponding academician of the Real Academica Burgense de Historia y Bellas Artes Fernán González in Burgos

since 2011
Member of the section of cultural studies, Leopoldina Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften

since 2010
Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy

since 2009
Corresponding Member of the Archaeological Institute of America

since 2005
Full member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences, Social Sciences Class

since 2005
Academic advisor of the Research Center of Ancient Civilization of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing

since 2004
Honorary member of the Archaeological Institute of the Romanian Academy of Sciences in Iaşi

since 2003
Corresponding member of the Real Academia de la Historia in Madrid

since 2000
Member of the Research Center of Ancient Civilization of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing

since 1991
Full member of the German Archaeological Institute

Awards, Prizes and Honors

2020
Honorary doctorate of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian division of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk

2019
Marsilius Medal of the University of Heidelberg for Promoting Dialogue between Scientific Cultures

2018
Civil Grand Cross of the Order of Alfonso X the Wise of the Spanish Government for outstanding merits in the field of research, literature and art

2018
Honorary doctorate from Novosibirsk State University

2015
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, OMRI)

2013
Sibylle Kalkhof-Rose Academy Prize for Social Sciences, given by the Academy of Sciences and Literature in Mainz

2012
Grand Merit Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

2012
Jubilee medal of the Republic of Kazakhstan

2011
Election to the order Pour le mérite for the Arts and Sciences

2011
Reuchlin Prize of the city of Pforzheim upon the nomination of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences for outstanding German-language achievements in the field of the social sciences

2010
Ambassador of the Saarland, named as such by Peter Müller, minister-president of the Saarland

2009
Order of Friendship (Orden Druzhby) of the Russian Federation, presented by President Dmitri Medvedev at the Kremlin on 4 November 2009

2009
Honorary member of the Verein zur Förderung des Deutschen Evangelischen Instituts für Altertumswissenschaft des Heiligen Landes

2009
Honorary member, Förderverein Stadtmuseum Germering e. V.

2008
Honorary citizen of the city of Germering

2007
Honorary diploma from the Mongolian Academy of Sciences for achievements in the promotion of science and international cooperation

2007
Medal of honor of the Republic of Tuva for achievements in the promotion of science

2004
Honorary doctorate from the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow

2001
Silver decoration of the Siberian division of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk

2001
Honorary doctorate from the Siberian division of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk

1998
Research prize for German scholars in the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Program of the German Research Foundation (DFG)

Selected Publications

  • K. Čugunov/H. Parzinger/A. Nagler, Der Goldschatz von Aržan. Ein Fürstengrab der Skythenzeit in der südsibirischen Steppe (München 2006).
  • H. Parzinger, Die frühen Völker Eurasiens. Von der Jungsteinzeit bis zum Frühmittelalter (München 2006, 2011).
  • K. Čugunov/H. Parzinger/A. Nagler, Der skythenzeitliche Fürstenkurgan von Aržan 2 in Tuva. Archäologie in Eurasien 26 / Steppenvölker Eurasiens 3 (Mainz 2010).
  • M. Özdoğan/H. Parzinger, Die frühbronzezeitliche Siedlung von Kanlıgeçit bei Kırklareli. Ostthrakien während des 3. Jahrtausends v. Chr. im Spannungsfeld von anatolischer und balkanischer Kulturentwicklung. Studien im Thrakien-Marmara-Raum 3. Archäologie in Eurasien 27 (Mainz 2012).
  • W. Menghin/H. Parzinger/A. Nagler/M. Nawroth (Hrsg.), Im Zeichen des Goldenen Greifen. Königsgräber der Skythen (München, Berlin, London, New York 2007).
  • H. Parzinger (Hrsg.), Gero von Merhart. Daljóko. Bilder aus sibirischen Arbeitstagen (Wien, Köln, Weimar 2008).
  • T. Flierl/H. Parzinger (Hrsg.), Humboldt-Forum Berlin. Das Projekt (Berlin 2009).
  • H. Parzinger. Archäologie und Politik. Eine Wissenschaft und ihr Weg zum kulturpolitischen Global Player. Jahrbuch Preußischer Kulturbesitz 47, 2011, 255–275.
  • H. Parzinger, Das Humboldt-Forum im Berliner Schloss: Anspruch und Chance. In: Das Humboldt-Forum im Berliner Schloss. Planungen – Prozesse – Perspektiven (München 2013).
  • H. Parzinger, Grundzüge bronzezeitlicher Kulturverhältnisse zwischen Wolga und Rhein. In: Bronzezeit. Europa ohne Grenzen 4.–1. Jahrtausend v. Chr. Ausstellungskatalog (St. Petersburg 2013) 23–46.
  • H. Parzinger, Der Deutsche Verband für Archäologie. Blickpunkt Archäologie. Deutscher Verband für Archäologie 1, 2013, 2–4.
  • H. Parzinger, Die Kinder des Prometheus. Eine Geschichte der Menschheit vor der Erfindung der Schrift (München 2014)
  • H. Parzinger, Vor- und Frühgeschichte. In: H.-J. Gehrke (Hrsg.), Die Welt vor 600. Frühe Zivilisationen. A. Iriye/J. Osterhammel (Hrsg.), Geschichte der Welt. A History of the World (München, Harvard 2017) 41-262.
  • H. Parzinger, Togetherness. A New Heritage Deal for Europe. European Investment Bank. Big Ideas III (Luxemburg 2020).
  • H. Parzinger, Verdammt und vernichtet. Kulturzerstörungen vom Alten Orient bis zur Gegenwart (München 2021).