Public lecture: ‘A view of humanity in Judaism and in the works of Martin Buber’

On Wednesday, 14 January 2026, at 7 p.m., the School of Social Sciences at Friedensau Adventist University invites you to a lecture in the auditorium, An der Ihle 2b, 39291 Möckern-Friedensau. The speaker, Dr. med. Vsevolod Silov, is Senior Physician for Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy at the Oberhavel Clinics in Hennigsdorf and a renowned Martin Buber expert. He wrote his doctoral thesis on ‘Martin Buber and Psychotherapy.’ The lecture, which will be followed by a discussion, is open to the public. The lecture will be held in German. Admission is free.

The Austrian-Israeli Jewish religious philosopher Martin Mordechai Buber (born in Vienna in 1878, died in Jerusalem in 1965) is considered one of the most important figures in the intellectual history of the 20th century. He studied philosophy, economics, German language and literature, art history and psychology in Vienna, Leipzig and Zurich. He received his doctorate in 1904 with a thesis entitled ‘On the History of the Problem of Individuation’. His most famous statements are ‘Man becomes I through Thou’ and ‘The world is not comprehensible, but it can be embraced: by embracing one of its beings.’ He examined human dialogue with other beings, but in particular the introduction of human dialogue with God. In the new translation of the Hebrew Bible into German, which he worked on together with Franz Rosenzweig, he regarded the Bible as a story of God speaking to his people, rather than a collection of laws. His poem about the relationship with God is exemplary: „Where I go – you! Where I stand – you! Only you, again you, always you! You, you, you! When I am well – you! When I am in pain – you! Only you, again you, always you! You, you, you! Heaven – you, Earth – you, above – you, below – you. Wherever I turn, at every end: only you, again you, always you! You, you, you!“ (Martin Buber: The Tales of the Hasidim. Zurich: Manesse 1984, p. 342).

The Friedensau Adventist University is a state-recognised university sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Here, ten BA and MA study programmes – some of which can be taken alongside work, part-time or online – can be studied in the fields of Social Sciences and theology. Around 40 nations are represented among the students and teaching staff. Prospective students can register for online information days (infotage.de) and learn about the content of the courses in dialogue with the professors and lecturers.