Background
Gerhart Niemeyer was born on February 15, 1907, in Essen, Germany, into the family of Victor and Kaethe (Ley) Niemeyer. In 1937 he came to the United States, and then became a naturalized United States citizen in 1943.
Gerhart Niemeyer was born on February 15, 1907, in Essen, Germany, into the family of Victor and Kaethe (Ley) Niemeyer. In 1937 he came to the United States, and then became a naturalized United States citizen in 1943.
Gerhart Niemeyer studied at the University of Munich and Cambridge University and received bachelor's and doctoral law degrees at the University of Kiel.
Niemeyer devoted more than forty years to teaching and public service, first at Madrid University as a lecturer in law in 1933. Positions at the University of Princeton and Oglethorpe University followed. In 1950 he became a foreign affairs officer with the U.S. Department of State. Niemeyer joined the Council of Foreign Relations as a research analyst in 1953. He finished out his career at the University of Notre Dame as a professor of Political science beginning in 1955; he reached professor emeritus status in 1976. He also lectured Politics at colleges and universities such as Yale, Munich, and Hillsdale.
Moreover, Gerhart was the author of ten books and wrote many articles for periodicals like The Review of Politics, Modern Age and The National Review. Dr. Niemeyer's first book was ''Law Without Force'', a work about international law. His other books included: ''An Inquiry Into Soviet Mentality'', ''Handbook on Communism'', ''Deceitful Peace'', and ''Between Nothingness and Paradise.''
A member of the Episcopal Church, Dr. Niemeyer became a deacon in 1973, a priest in 1980 and a canon in 1987. He recently converted to Roman Catholicism.
Dr. Niemeyer sought to draw the often fuzzy line between philosophical thought and ideology. Dr. Niemeyer discoursed on classical and modern political theory, ideology, problems of modernity, foreign policy, Christianity and the relationship between faith and philosophy. Deeming this the ''terrible century,'' he wrote that fascism, communism and other such modern mass movements were the legacy of disoriented philosophers. He said their ideas corroded the cultural mettle of a society and spawned ideologies with a limited view of humanity.
On September 18, 1931, Gerhart married Lucie Lenzner, with whom he had five children: A. Hermann, Lucian L., Paul V., Lisa M., and Christian B. Niemeyer.