Karl Holl in der Berliner „Mittwochsgesellschaft“.

In the winter semester of 1906, the church historian Karl Holl, who had previously taught in Tübingen, began teaching at the Theological Faculty of the Friedrich-Wilhelms-University in Berlin as the first full professor of the newly established second Chair of Church History. Shortly after his arrival in the German capital, his long-time mentor and fatherly friend Paul Kleinert, the full professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology, invited him to become a member of the “Mittwochsgesellschaft“, an association of scholars, high officials, politicians and bankers who met since 1863 to discuss new scientific and technical findings, fundamental social developments and – beyond the politics of the day – political problems. Holl gave eleven lectures at the “Mittwochsgesellschaft“ from 1907 to 1917, which he reported on himself in the society’s minute books. With one exception, these concise summaries of what he presented are unknown until now. They are published here for the first time. The political conflict with the liberal-conservative historian Friedrich Meinecke, which led to Holl’s resignation from the “Mittwochsgesellschaft“ on March 21, 1919, is also briefly outlined.