Schoppa, Helmut

Classical archaeologist, first state archaeologist of Hesse

Born: 24.12.1907 in Kattowitz (Upper Silesia, today Katowice, Poland)

Died: 13.08.1980 in Wiesbaden

Schoppa studied classical philology and classical archaeology in Münster, Bonn and Heidelberg. He received his doctorate in 1932 with a thesis on "The depiction of the Persians in Greek art up to the beginning of Hellenism".

He undertook individual research assignments until 1939, after which he became a member of staff at the State Office for the Cultural History of Soil Antiquities in Wiesbaden under Ferdinand Kutsch. After military service and imprisonment from 1940 to 1946, he continued this work and was appointed Kutsch's successor and head of the Nassau Antiquities Collection in 1955. At the same time, from 1953 he lectured on the history and culture of Roman Germania at the University of Marburg, which appointed him honorary professor in 1962. After the merger of the three offices for the preservation of archaeological monuments in the former parts of Hesse to form an independent department, "Der Landesarchäologe von Hessen", he became its director in 1967. He retired in 1972.

From 1962-79 he was chairman of the Association for Nassau Antiquities. Schoppa presented parts of the Nassau Antiquities Collection to the public in eight themed special exhibitions in 1955-58. From 1958, following the release of the confiscated exhibition rooms, he rebuilt the collection and organized numerous special exhibitions. Schoppa wrote well over 200 articles on the entire Roman Empire, focusing on the Roman period.

In 1973 he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit 1st Class, and in 1977 he received the Citizens' Medal in Gold. His grave is located in the South Cemetery.