May 23, 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of Karlheinz Deschner's birth. This presents an excellent opportunity to commemorate the life and work of the author of "Criminal History of Christianity," who was also a crucial catalyst for the founding of the Giordano Bruno Foundation.

"Enlightenment is an offense; those who illuminate the world make its filth more visible." With this aphorism, Karlheinz Deschner summed up his life's motto. As an unyielding "polemic writer," Deschner was for decades the very embodiment of the offensive spirit of enlightenment – a thorn in the flesh of his era, constantly reigniting debate. Until his death in 2014, he exposed, with linguistic sharpness reminiscent of Friedrich Nietzsche, all those historical atrocities that powerful figures in politics and the Church would have preferred to sweep under the rug.

Today, much of what Deschner revealed has become common knowledge. The Deschnerian perspective, which still sparked outrage in the 20th century, is now widely accepted and frequently referenced in religious history documentaries – one reason for the progressive decline of church power in Western Europe and the remarkable trend of secularization in recent decades. The fact that non-denominational people will soon constitute the majority of Germany’s population in  just a few years can be attributed in no small part to the enlightening impulses that emanated from Deschner's work.

Karlheinz Deschner was closely connected to the Giordano Bruno Foundation from its inception in 2004, even serving as the catalyst for its creation. His works inspired gbs founder Herbert Steffen's "reverse Damascus experience," transforming him from a "pious Paul" into a "free-thinking Saul." The foundation's first major event was the celebration of Deschner's 80th birthday in his hometown of Haßfurt in May 2004 – and the last event in which Deschner actively participated was the celebration of the completion of his ten-volume "Kriminalgeschichte des Christentums" ("Criminal History of Christianity") in March 2013 at the gbs headquarters "Haus Weitblick" in Oberwesel. Many attendees were moved to tears during Deschner’s speech, sensing it might be his final public appearance. On 8 April 2014, Karlheinz Deschner passed away at the age of 89 due to a ruptured aneurysm. His death marked the loss of one of the world's most fascinating and combative authors.

 
New Deschner Documentary and Website for the 100th Anniversary

The Giordano Bruno Foundation has produced an elaborate new video documentary on the life, work, and influence of the "greatest church critic of all time" (Dieter Birnbacher) to mark Deschner's 100th birthday. The film "Karlheinz Deschner: Der Streitschriftsteller" ("Karlheinz Deschner: The Polemic Writer"), created by Ricarda Hinz and Michael Schmidt-Salomon, will premiere live on Wednesday, 22 May 2024, at 7:30 PM on the gbs YouTube channel.

Furthermore, a new Deschner website is now available at karlheinz-deschner.de, designed by Florian Chefai (gbs, Hans Albert Institute). The previous site, deschner.info, will remain accessible for archival purposes. The updated site provides contemporary insights into the life and work of this exceptional writer. The Deschner Media Library contains selected videos, images, and texts, while the Deschner Blog provides additional content, including updates on noteworthy new releases. Additionally, social media campaigns are planned around the birthday under the hashtag #deschner100.

"We hope this will help spark the interest of a younger audience in Karlheinz Deschner," explains philosopher and gbs chairman Michael Schmidt-Salomon, who worked closely with Deschner. "It's quite understandable that many younger people no longer associate anything with the name Deschner. Those who didn’t experience the intense ideological and political struggles of the last century can hardly grasp the immense resistance figures like Deschner faced in securing the freedoms we often take for granted today. The problem is: This history-blind perspective increases the risk that these hard-won freedoms could be lost again. There are ample reasons to remember Karlheinz Deschner – not only because the topics he addressed remain relevant, but also because writers of his caliber are rare exceptions in the sea of mediocrity that surrounds us..."