German sociologist Andrej Holm fired from Humboldt University over past Stasi ties

Andrej Holm, a prominent German sociologist and urban studies expert, has been dismissed from his position at Humboldt University in Berlin due to his brief membership in the Stasi, East Germany's secret police, at age 18 in 1989. The university cited a breach of trust, stating Holm should have disclosed this in his CV when hired in 2005. The firing follows his December appointment as State Secretary for Urban Development in Berlin's Senate, a role from which he also resigned under pressure. Holm, a vocal critic of gentrification and housing speculation, argues the controversy stems from his progressive urban policies, not his past. Supporters collected 16,000 signatures in his defense. The case echoes a broader debate on housing and urban development, highlighted by Patrick Schumacher's controversial speech at the World Architecture Festival in Berlin, where he advocated abolishing social housing and privatizing public space.