We mourn the loss of Prof. Dr. Matthias Koenig

We are deeply saddened to announce that Professor Matthias Koenig, Max Planck Fellow at our institute from 2011 to 2021, passed away on January 12, 2026, after a serious illness. His death is a great loss to the scholarly community and to all who knew him.

Matthias Koenig was a brilliant scholar whose research on human rights, migration, religion, and sociological theory made lasting contributions to our understanding of cultural diversity and minority rights. During his time at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, he conducted groundbreaking work on the global and local dynamics of regulating cultural diversity, investigating the institutionalization of religious freedom and minority rights in international and constitutional law.

Professor Koenig held the Chair of Empirical Macrosociology at the Max Weber Institute for Sociology at Heidelberg University, a position he assumed in 2020 after nearly 15 years as Professor of Sociology with a focus on the Sociology of Religion at the University of Göttingen.

Beyond his scholarly achievements, Professor Koenig was deeply committed to the practical application of social science research. He served as an expert member of the German Council on Integration and Migration (SVR) and was Vice President of the German Research Foundation (DFG) until the end of 2025. He was also a member of the Young Academy at the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and held leadership positions in various national and international scientific organizations.

Matthias Koenig was not only a brilliant scholar but also a generous and collegial presence in our academic community. He possessed a remarkable analytical mind, yet remained humble, patient, discreet, and kind. He generously supported colleagues at earlier stages of their academic careers and did everything in his power to help them thrive. He will be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues.