Events
Open Monument Day® at the Edith Stein Archive in Cologne
12 September 2026
On the occasion of Open Monument Day®, the Edith Stein Archive in Cologne will also be opening its doors! Under this year’s theme, “NetzWERKE: Monuments & Infrastructure”, more than 160 monuments and institutions across Cologne will open their doors. We are delighted to be part of Cologne’s programme and warmly invite you to discover the Edith Stein Archive, its history and its collections.
In three short talks accompanied by historical photographs, we will offer insights into Edith Stein’s life and thought, her path to the Carmelite monastery in Cologne, and the remarkable history of her manuscripts and the origins of the Edith Stein Archive.
11:00 a.m. | Edith Stein: Her Life, Work and the Relevance of Her Thought Today
Who was Edith Stein, and why does her thought remain relevant today? The talk will guide you through the most important stages of her life: from her family background and university years through her academic work and conversion to her entrance into the Carmelite monastery in Cologne and her death in Auschwitz. Through selected historical photographs, we will also explore some of the central themes of her philosophical thought and consider their relevance today.
12:30 p.m. | Edith Stein’s Path to the Carmelite Monastery in Cologne
How did Edith Stein’s path from philosophy ultimately lead her to the Carmelite monastery in Cologne? Through selected photographs, the talk will trace important stages of her personal and spiritual journey: from her university years and formative encounters through her turn to Christianity and baptism to her entrance into the Carmelite monastery in Cologne in 1933. Particular attention will be given to the experiences, encounters and decisions that shaped this path.
1:45 p.m. | The Rescue of Edith Stein’s Manuscripts and the Origins of the Edith Stein Archive
What happened to Edith Stein’s manuscripts during the Second World War – and how were they saved? The talk traces the eventful history of her literary estate: from the danger faced by the manuscripts during the war and the evacuation of the Carmelite monastery in Echt to their rescue and preservation. From there, the story continues into the post-war period and Cologne: How did the manuscripts eventually come to Cologne, and how did today’s Edith Stein Archive come into being?
Afterwards, visitors will have the opportunity to browse the monastery shop for a small souvenir of their visit.
The Edith Stein Archive and the Carmelite monastery “Maria vom Frieden” warmly invite you to join us – we look forward to welcoming you!
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Insight into the Edith Stein Archive Cologne:
Webinar for Researchers
(Online Event)
The Edith Stein Archive Cologne cordially invites you to a webinar where we will show you how you can utilize our archive for your research. In this webinar, you will receive valuable information on the following topics:
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Who we are and the services we offer
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How to use the archive for your research projects
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The necessary steps to gain access to our archive
Target Audience:
This webinar is aimed at all researchers who are working on Edith Stein – whether in the context of a master's thesis, dissertation, or an independent research project. Professors and independent academic researchers are also warmly welcome!
Webinar Details:
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The webinar will take place on September 30, 2026 at 6:30 PM (CEST) and will be held in English.
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The webinar will only take place if at least 5 people have registered.
We invite you to register today to begin your research at the Edith Stein Archive Cologne. Please send your registration to: kontakt@edith-stein-archiv.de
International Research Group on Edith Stein
(Online Event)
The international research group at the Edith Stein Archive in Cologne has existed since 2021 and brings together scholars from all over the world. From the very beginning, researchers from Europe, Asia and Latin America have taken part.
We meet regularly online via Zoom – in the past every two weeks, now once a month due to current capacities. Together we read Edith Stein’s major works, analyze the texts and discuss their meaning. Our focus is both on specific passages and on particular philosophical problems raised by Stein. In the winter and summer semester 2025/26 we will study her work “Introduction to Philosophy” (ESGA 8).
In the summer semester 2026, the meetings will continue on 25 March, 29 April, 27 May, and 24 June.
The working language is German; however, automated translation via Zoom is available. Participation is also possible with passive, intermediate knowledge of German. The research group is free of charge. It is primarily aimed at academics, but it is also possible to join as a guest listener.
Registrations are possible via the following link: Anmeldung zum Arbeitskreis vom Edith Stein Archiv - Jotform Form Builder. For further questions, please contact: edithstein.veranstaltungen@gmail.com
Call for Papers:
International, Interdisciplinary Conference
“The Phenomenon of Relics – the Holy Body”
(Hybrid Event)
The Edith Stein Research Center at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and the Edith Stein Archive in Cologne cordially invite submissions for the international and interdisciplinary academic conference “The Phenomenon of Relics – the Holy Body.”
The question of relics and the holiness of the human body marks a central point of intersection between Christian thought, cultures of memory, religious practice, and philosophical and anthropological reflection. This topic gains particular relevance in light of the experiences of the twentieth century, especially in view of the systematic degradation and destruction of human corporeality under totalitarian regimes of violence.
An important, though not exclusive, point of reference for the conference is the fate of Edith Stein—philosopher, Carmelite nun, and martyr. Her death in Auschwitz exemplifies the question of how holiness, embodiment, and memory can be addressed under conditions of radical violence, deliberate annihilation, and the erasure of all bodily traces.
At the same time, reflection on relics as signs of holiness and as places of spiritual presence has accompanied Christianity since its beginnings. Already in the early centuries, particularly in situations of persecution and martyrdom, fundamental questions concerning the meaning of the body, memory, and hope in resurrection were negotiated. The treatment of human remains thus early became a theological, philosophical, and cultural issue that continues to resonate today.
The conference is explicitly interdisciplinary and is addressed to scholars from philosophy, theology, history, cultural and art studies, as well as related disciplines, who engage with the phenomenon of relics and the holiness of the human body from a scholarly perspective.
Conference Topics (selection):
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The cult of relics in antiquity
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The authority of relics
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The sacrality of places where relics are preserved and of sites of remembrance of violence
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Relics as “mementos”
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The theology of relics and canon law
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Legal protection of human remains
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The holiness of the human body in medical practice (e.g., surgery, pharmacology)
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Fragmentation of the body – fragmentation of relics
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Relics in the visual arts
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Relics in hagiography
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Self-reflection on the holiness of one’s own body (psychological and psychiatric perspectives)
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Anthropology and phenomenology of relics: the body as sign, trace, and expression of the sacred
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Edith Stein as a modern figure of holiness and as a “relic without a body”
The conference will take place in two stages:
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Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań – November 27–28, 2026
The program includes an excursion exploring the multireligious heritage of the city of Poznań. -
Edith Stein Archive in Cologne – March 4–5, 2027
The program includes a guided walk following the traces of Edith Stein in Cologne.
Please submit your paper proposals by the end of March 2026. When submitting the abstract, please indicate at which conference location (Poznań or Cologne) and in which language (Polish, German, or English) the paper is intended to be presented.
Paper proposals should be sent to: cbes@amu.edu.pl Applicants will be informed of the acceptance decision by the end of April 2026.
The presented papers will be published in printed form by the end of 2027.
4–5 December 2025
International Doctoral Colloquium
The Life and Work of Edith Stein
(Hybrid Event – Online and On-Site)
Edith Stein, also known as Sister Teresia Benedicta of the Cross, was one of the outstanding figures of the 20th century: a philosopher and one of Edmund Husserl’s most renowned students, a passionate educator, a committed advocate for women’s rights, a Carmelite nun, and a victim of the Holocaust – canonized by the Catholic Church and declared Patroness of Europe. These are just a few of the many titles attributed to Edith Stein. The colloquium The Life and Work of Edith Stein aims to highlight and honor the diversity of both her personality and her intellectual legacy.
After the success of the previous editions, we are pleased to invite for the fourth time doctoral and postdoctoral researchers to present their work on Edith Stein to a broader audience. In recent years, speakers from Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Italy, France, Mexico, Chile, the United States, Canada, Russia, and Japan have taken part. These presentations offered valuable insights into current research on Edith Stein in fields such as philosophy, theology, psychology, literary studies, pedagogy, art, photography, as well as bioethics and biopolitics.
The aim of the colloquium is to provide young scholars with the opportunity to present their research findings, engage in academic dialogue, and promote both professional and international exchange.
Suggested Topics:
The presentations should include contributions on Edith Stein’s life and work, her writings, teaching, and the contemporary relevance of her thought. Possible topics may include, for example:
- Stein's understanding and contribution to phenomenology
- The problem of empath
- Edith Stein's contribution to educational science
- Stein's philosophical and theological anthropology
- The relationship between thought and faith in Edith Stein
- The role and significance of Thomism in Stein's thought
- Carmelite spirituality in Stein's works
- Edith Stein's thoughts on the position of women
- Edith Stein and the Jewish tradition
- Edith Stein's contacts with other scholars: Husserl, Scheler, Ingarden, Maritain etc,
...and many others!
Presentation Format and Application:
Presentations should be 30 minutes long, followed by a 15-minute discussion. To register for the colloquium, please use our application form: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q_C8gKJUOhNL_YQ_QV4dHz1mX_MtGXIJ/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=111096725648666331389&rtpof=true&sd=true Please send your proposal, including the presentation title, an abstract (min. 300 words), and a short academic CV by September 5, 2025, to: Dr. Monika Adamczyk-Enriquez (Email: edithstein.veranstaltungen@gmail.com) You will be notified about the acceptance of your proposal by September 25, 2025.
General information:
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To allow as many people as possible to participate, the colloquium will be held in three languages: German, English, and Spanish.
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For the first time, the event will take place in a hybrid format, allowing for both in-person participation in Cologne and online attendance.
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Participation is free of charge, both online and on-site.
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As the goal of the colloquium is to foster academic networking, an informal exchange session is planned at the end of the event to enable participants to get to know each other better.
Dr. Monika Adamczyk-Enriquez (E-Mail-Adresse: edithstein.veranstaltungen@gmail.com), who is in charge of the colloquium, will be happy to answer any questions regarding content and organization.