Jeanne Hersch: A philosophy for freedom and human rights

Jeanne Hersch: A philosophy for freedom and human rights

Genf, Schweiz - On July 13, 1910, Jeanne Hersch was born in Geneva, an important Swiss philosopher who is heard in today's society through its profound thoughts and political engagement. Today, her legacy is recognized in a show in which Irene Dänzer-Vanotti reports on the diverse connections between Hersch and the Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg, Winfried Kretschmann. Hersch grew up in an intellectually funded environment, her father, Pesach Liebman Hersch, was a professor of statistics at the University of Geneva.

Your academic journey not only led her in her hometown, but also to Heidelberg and Freiburg, where she came into contact with great schools of thought. Karl Jaspers and Martin Heidegger were among the formative figures, whereby she was particularly fascinated by Jasper's philosophy of existence. But the experience when a crowd in front of Heidegger Nazi greats made her found for a philosophy of freedom, justice and human rights. These events formed their political beliefs and led them to a commitment as a young woman in the Social Democratic Party.

influential encounters and intellectual roots

in Freiburg was a Hersch part of a group of Jewish students influenced by Heidegger, which also included important thinkers such as Hannah Arendt and Emmanuel Levinas. Nevertheless, in 1933 she decided to leave Freiburg in order to escape the negative role of Heidegger as a rector during the rise of National Socialism. This decision reflects its moral compass and its commitment to the philosophy that focuses on human rights.

After the Second World War, Hersch became a professor of systematic philosophy in Geneva in 1956 and from 1966 to 1968 took over the Presidium of the UNESCO philosophy section in Paris. Her academic work and her translations of Jaspers' texts to French contributed to her high reputation in Switzerland. In addition, she has a moving relationship with the social democratic party, from which she withdrew in 1992 after the party decided to legalize drugs.

a legacy for the future

Jeanne Hersch was a committed intellectual and critical voice in the 1968 student movement, which called for a clear distancing from Soviet communism. Their philosophical writings, such as "Penser Dans Le Temps" (1977) and "Éclairer L’Orbscur. Entretiens Avec Gabrielle et A. Dufour" (1986), represent important contributions to contemporary philosophy and are rooted in Jewish ethics. Your examination of ethical topics remains an important part of the discussion about freedom and human rights.

The recommunication of her philosophy through modern voices like Winfried Kretschmann shows that Hersch's influence on today's society continues to be strong decades after her death, which followed in 2000. Hersch's thoughts and their tremendous commitment give food for thought on how freedom and justice should be shaped in today's world. Further details on your life and work provides encyclopedia.com href = "https://www1.wdr.de/radio/wdr5/sendungen/zeitzeichen/zeitzeichen-jeanne-hersch-102.html"> wdr reflected on their connections to current political figures.