Struck, Wolf-Heino

Archivist, Historian

Born: 27.03.1911 in Schwerin

died: 10.08.1991 in Wiesbaden

Struck, the son of a secondary school teacher, initially studied law after graduating from high school in Schwerin in 1929, then history, German and English studies in Freiburg im Breisgau, Berlin and from 1931 in Rostock. He completed his doctorate there in 1935 with a thesis on medieval self-government in Mecklenburg's rural towns. In 1936 he passed his teacher training examination and in 1937 the examination for the higher archive service.

His employment at the Zerbst State Archives, which began in 1938 and was temporarily interrupted by military service and injury, ended for political reasons when he was dismissed in January 1946. At the beginning of 1948, Struck found a position at the State Archives in Wiesbaden(Hessian Main State Archives Wiesbaden). Here he rose from academic archivist to archive councillor in 1951, senior archive councillor in 1966 and archive director and archive manager in 1971.

He developed an immense publication activity. His list of publications from 1990 includes 23 independent publications, 73 articles in journals, commemorative publications and local history books as well as 178 contributions to scientific anthologies and exhibition catalogs. The focus was on document editions and urban history research. But he was also at home in the political and social history of the 19th and 20th centuries. Wiesbaden owes him two volumes on the city's history: "Wiesbaden in der Goethezeit" and "Wiesbaden im Biedermeier".

He was closely associated with the Verein für Nassauische Altertumskunde und Geschichtsforschung, for which he also served as treasurer and from 1972-78 as editor of the Nassauische Annalen. From 1975 until shortly before his death, he also chaired the Historical Commission for Nassau, for which he published 22 volumes.

In 1975, he was appointed honorary professor in the Department of History at the University of Frankfurt am Main. In 1979, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit with Ribbon. He was laid to rest in the cemetery in Wiesbaden-Sonnenberg.