Tribute to Hélène Ahrweiler
It is with deep sadness that Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University learned of the passing of Hélène Ahrweiler on February 16.
A pioneering figure in an academic world that was then largely male-dominated, she paved the way for women in higher education and research. Through her career, her intellectual authority, and her commitment as a feminist, she helped to transform the place of women in our university and beyond by rising to the highest academic positions.
To honor her memory, the university decided to name the new library at the La Chapelle center, which opened last January, after her. An institutional tribute will be organized in the near future to celebrate her work and legacy.
Born Glykatzi in 1926 in Athens, Hélène Ahrweiler belongs to a generation that was caught up in history from childhood. At just fourteen years old, as Europe was engulfed in flames, she chose to join the resistance against the Nazi occupiers. Her destiny was also linked to that of a generation of Greek intellectuals whom the turmoil of the 20th century drove into exile. France became a land of asylum, thought, and freedom for them. It was naturally in Paris, the intellectual heart of this open and universalist France, that she pursued her scientific work. In 1966, she defended a thesis on the role of the Navy and maritime policy in the Byzantine Empire. After beginning her career at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), she was appointed professor at the Sorbonne in 1967.
She quickly took on important responsibilities there: director of the History Department of the Faculty of Arts in Paris, co-founder and first vice-president of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University (1971-1973), she then became president on January 23, 1976. At the helm of the university until 1981, she brought a new dynamic to the institution, strongly affirming its scientific ambition, its international outlook, and its commitment to academic excellence.
Her commitment to education and higher learning extends far beyond the Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University. Appointed Rector of the Academy and Chancellor of the Universities of Paris by François Mitterrand (1982-1989), she has held numerous national and international scientific positions. She has also played a major role in prestigious cultural institutions, consistently pursuing her commitment to knowledge, culture, and intellectual debate.
International recognition of her work resulted in numerous honorary doctorates awarded by universities around the world.
Renowned historian, Hélène Ahrweiler leaves a profound mark on the history of the university. At this time of mourning, Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne pays tribute to an exceptional academic whose legacy will continue to inspire generations of academics, researchers, and students.