Rupert Strachwitz

Rupert Strachwitz is a political scientist and historian. He has been involved with not-for-profit organizations for well over 30 years – as a volunteer, staff member, board member, consultant, researcher and lecturer.

Today, he is Executive Director of the Maecenata Foundation, a Berlin-based Think Tank on Civil Society and Philanthropy, and also heads the Maecenata Institute, the foundation’s policy and research centre.

He served as member of the German Federal Parliament Commission on Civic Action (1999 to 2002). He also chaired the European Policy Working Group of Europa Nostra (2004–2010), served on the board of the Fondazione Cariplo, Milan/Italy (2000–2007), as well as a number of other nongovernmental organizations at home and abroad.

He is Vice-Chairman of the German British Society, Berlin. Earlier in his career, he worked for the head office of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in Rome and was regional director of the German Order of Malta Ambulance Corps.

He holds a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Muenster, Germany, where he submitted a thesis on the legitimacy of foundations.

He graduated with an M.A. in 1974 with a thesis on The Levellers, a 17th century English citizens’ action group, after studying Political Science, History and History of Art at Colgate University, Hamilton (New York) and the University of Munich, Germany.

See www.strachwitz.info and www.maecenata.eu