Biographical Studies on Hans Kelsen

Hans Kelsen (born in Prague on October 11, 1881, died in Orinda, California, on April 19, 1973) is considered one of the most important jurists of the 20th century. In Austria, he is best known as the “architect” of the Austrian Federal Constitution; worldwide, the legal theory model of “pure jurisprudence” he developed attracted considerable attention. While there are numerous publications on his academic work, his life had hardly been studied academically until the beginning of the 21st century.

In 2006 and 2011, the Austrian Science Fund FWF approved two projects (“Biographical Studies on Hans Kelsen in the Years 1881–1940,” P 19287; “Kelsen's Life in America and the Worldwide Dissemination of his Legal Doctrine,” P 23747). These projects resulted in numerous publications, in particular the 1027-page biography “Hans Kelsen. Biography of a Legal Scholar,” which was published by Mohr Siebeck in 2020 (2nd edition 2021). A Spanish translation of this book was completed in 2025, and an English translation has now been completed and is undergoing peer review.