degree 1973 at the Technical University of Munich
, before, in the next year, becoming a Professor for Theoretical Physics at the Saarland University
(after having rejected an offer of the Freie University in Berlin
). From 1977 to 1983, he headed a group for Theoretical Physics in the Institute for Solid State Research at the Forschungszentrum Jülich, prior to taking his present post as a University Professor for Theoretical Physics
at the University of Mainz, Germany
.
"Assassination is the extreme form of censorship."
"Censorship ends in logical completeness when nobody is allowed to read any books except the books that nobody reads."
"All censorships exist to prevent anyone from challenging current conceptions and existing institutions. All progress is initiated by challenging current conceptions, and executed by supplanting existing institutions. Consequently the first condition of progress is the removal of censorship."
"Censorship reflects a society's lack of confidence in itself."
"The Internet treats censorship as a defect and routes around it."
"If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all."
"Don't join the book burners. Don't think you are going to conceal thoughts by concealing evidence that they ever existed."