Born 11 January 1941 in Deuthen (East Prussia). Married to Annette Lepenies, three children. Doctor of Letters (sociology) summa cum laude from the University of Münster (1967).
Professional career
- Since 1971 : Professor of Sociology at Berlin's Freie Universität
- 1973 : Scientific member of the Humanities Center at Wesleyan University Middletown, Connecticut, USA
- 1974 : Research Professor at the University of Texas
- 1975 : Scientific member of the Center of Advanced Studies, Vienna
- 1977 : Associate Director of Studies, Maison des sciences de l'homme, Paris
- 1979-1980 : Fellow, School of Social Sciences/Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- 1982-1984 : Long-term member of the School of Social Sciences/Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- 1984 : Full Professor of Sociology, Freie Universität, Berlin
- Since 1984 : Permanent scientific member of the Wissenschaftskolleg Berlin
- Since 1986 : Rector of the Wissenschaftskolleg Berlin
- Lectures at the Collège de France, Paris
- 1990 : Commonwealth Eminent Scholar at the Center for Literary and Cultural Change, University of Virginia, USA
- 1990 : Lectures at the Collège de France, Paris
- Since 1991 : Second term as Rector of the Wissenschaftskolleg Berlin
- 1991 : Lectures at Sigma-Tau - Laterza, Rome
- Since 1991 : Member of the Board of Directors of the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute
- 1991-1992 : Professor at the Collège de France, holder of the annual European Chair
- 1991-1992 : Chairman of the Board, Collegium Budapest
- Since 1992 : Honorary external member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, USA
Awards and honors
- 1984 : Alexander von Humboldt Prize for Franco-German Scientific Cooperation, awarded by the French Minister of Research and Technology
- 1986 : Culture Prize of the City of Koblenz
- 1986 : Member of the German Academy of Letters, Darmstadt
- 1987 : Member of the Berlin Academy of Sciences
- 1988 : " Karl Vossler " prize from the Bavarian Minister of Culture and Education, Munich
- 1989 : Member of the Academia Europaea, London
- 1989 : Corresponding Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm
- 1990 : Corresponding member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities, Stockholm