In Memory of Klaus Bambauer

Heinrich Michael Knechten

Klaus Bambauer was born 11 May 1940 in Dusseldorf (Germany). His father was missing in Russia, so he grew with his mother and grandparents. For a time he studied at the conservatoire in Dusseldorf, because he wanted to become a sacral musician. But then he thought that his talent was not great enough, and so he followed the advice of an uncle, who was a pastor, and studied theology in Wuppertal, Erlangen, Hamburg and Bonn. In 1968 he married his wife Gertraude. During this time he was studying at the seminary for preachers in Bad Kreuznach. In 1971 Klaus was ordained in Wesel. From the year 1972 he was Lutheran pastor in Wesel-Flueren. Two sons were born to Gertraude and Klaus: Martin was born in 1970, Christoph in 1974.

Klaus attempted to integrate the many interests in his profession: music, church history, psychology and the history of religions. In 1981 he was in Kiev and, overwhelmed by the experience of the vigil of Easter, he began his study of Russian Orthodoxy and Russian culture. He in time read the book, "Freedom and the Spirit", by Berdiaev and was deeply impressed. From that point Klaus concentrates his work upon this philosopher and with the desire to help make Berdiaev's thought better known. His son Christoph begins with a studying of philosophy in 1995, which enables Klaus to work more intensively upon philosophical themes.

But Klaus then became ill, and as a result of his diabetes developed cardiac problems. Because of this, in the month of November 1998 he had to stop working in his profession. Klaus Bambauer died on 14 May 2002 (of heart failure).

Three months before his death Klaus wrote:
"When the spirit – here the Divine Spirit, the lifegiving Word of Christ, the Incarnated Logos – makes of man a new creation (2 Cor 5:17) ..., the Creed says 'Resurrection of the flesh' or, in a more recent translation: 'Resurrection of the dead', – this means not only an event beyond death (in Eternity, timelessness), but also a present eschatology (like in the gospel of John) while yet in this world."

Fr Stephen Janos wrote:
"Klaus was a part of a long tradition of enigmatic Germans such as Fritz Lieb and others who looked Eastwards, to the religious Orient, to the Rising of the Son, and embraced in true brotherhood Russians impelled Westwards, -- in the spirit of the Universality/Vselennost' of the Church of Christ, a spirit embodied in the visionary teachings of Vl. Solov'ev."

Select Bibliography

Books and Booklets

o Beloglasowa, N.M., Abramzewo bei Moskau. Historisches Kunst- und Literaturmuseum, translated by G.Bambauer, biographic comments by K.Bambauer, Wesel 1988.

o Berdjajew, Nikolai, Versuch einer eschatologischen Metyphysik (Schoepfertum und Objektivation), translated by G.Bambauer, notes by K.Bambauer, Waltrop 2001.

o Berdjajew, Nikolai, Wahrheit und Offenbarung. Prolegomena zu einer Kritik der Offenbarung, translated, notes and introduction by K. and G.Bambauer, Waltrop 1998.

o Dieses Volk traegt Gott im Herzen – Russische Meditationen, G. and K.Bambauer, Wesel 1984.

o Erinnerungen an S.W.Rachmaninow 1873-1943, translated by G.Bambauer, E.Gadow and H.M.Knechten, notes by K.Bambauer, Wesel 1993.

o Gedanken zur christlichen Spiritualitaet im 20. Jahrhundert, Wesel 1998.

o Gorodetzkij, Nadeschda, Tichon von Sadonsk. Anreger Dostojewskijs, translated by G. and K. Bambauer, Wesel 1987.

o J.Boehme, N.Berdjajew, G.W.F.Hegel, S.Aurobindo, C.G.Jung und russisches religionsphilosophisches Denken. Eine Verhaeltnisbestimmung, Wesel 2000.

o Theologische Gedanken zum Philosophen G.W.F.Hegel (1770-1831), Wesel 1999.

Articles

o Die Ich bin - Worte Jesu Christi, in: Deutsches Pfarrer-Blatt 100 (2000), Nr. 9, 478-480.

o Die integrale Funktion des Geistes bei Nikolai Berdjajew, in: Meditation 12 (1986), Fascicle 2, 72ff.

o "...Epoche neuer Geistigkeit...". Das "Ueberbewusstsein" in der Religionsphilosophie Nikolai Berdjajews, in: Deutsches Pfarrer-Blatt 87 (1987), Nr. 1, 12ff.

o Geistige Erfahrung und spirituelle Interpretation, in: Deutsches Pfarrer-Blatt 76 (1976), Nr. 2, 652ff.

o Nikolai Berdjajew und die Dynamik des Bewusstseins, in: Meditation 14 (1988), Sect. 3, 86-89.

o Perspektiven mystischer Erfahrung, in: Deutsches Pfarrer-Blatt 76 (1976), Nr. 15/16, 453-455.

o Religioese Erfahrung als initiatischer Prozess, in: Deutsches Pfarrer-Blatt 77 (1977), Nr. 2, 41ff.

o Von der Erfahrbarkeit des Geglaubten, in: Deutsches Pfarrer-Blatt 86 (1986), Nr. 1, 69ff.

o Weltverfallene Theologen – weltbefreiende Mystiker, in: Die Suche nach dem anderen Zustand, ed. by Klaus Gerd Kaltenbrunner, Muenchen 1976, 133-141.

Internet

o Letters to Fritz Lieb.

o Personal Reminiscences (P.Pascal)

o N.Berdjajew and the German Philosopher Peter Wust

o The Ecumenical Tasks

o The Funeral

o Unpublished Correspondence (H.Petzold)

back