Hans-Joachim Lang

Hans-Joachim Lang is an Honorary Professor at the Ludwig-Uhland-Institut für Empirische Kulturwissenschaft, part of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen. His research focuses on Jewish life in past and present contexts, with a specialization in Holocaust studies and Nazi medical atrocities, particularly the medical experiments conducted in Auschwitz and the Reichsuniversität Straßburg. He holds significant academic memberships, including in the Tübinger Vereinigung für Empirische Kulturwissenschaft, and has served on committees like the Commission historique pour l’histoire de la faculté de médecine de la Reichsuniversität Straßburg.

Lang's career includes a 34-year tenure as a science editor at the Schwäbische Tagblatt (1982–2016) and earlier work as a freelance journalist. He earned a Magister degree in German Linguistics (1978) and a PhD in 1980 from Tübingen University, focusing on the influence of political advertising on news texts. His awards include the Bundesverdienstkreuz am Bande (2019) and the Champions Award (2017).

His research emphasizes biographical approaches to understanding Nazi medical crimes, such as identifying victims of the Strasbourg skeleton collection and documenting the role of physicians like August Hirt and Carl Clauberg. He also explores the legacy of Jewish students at Tübingen University and post-war justice. His teaching includes seminars on Holocaust memory, Jewish life in the region, and Auschwitz studies.

Lang actively engages in public scholarship through lectures, articles, and collaborations with museums and historical commissions. His work bridges academic research with broader societal education about historical atrocities and ethical responsibilities of institutions.