was born in 1938 in Hillersdorf (Holčovice) near Jägerndorf (Krnov)/Czech republic. He studied German studies, history, Political sciences and Scandinavian studies in Frankfurt/Main. He was promoted to PhD in 1969 with a thesis on early european literature: From the earliest history of european poesy: the dance in Kölbigk. - legendary news. social background. prior historical conditions. Since 1972 up to 2001 he was a professor at the Institute for German language and literature at the university of Frankfurt/Main, focusing on medieval literature and historical linguistic and he retired in 2001. He also lectured as a guest professor at Arhus, Florence, Lublin and Lyon.

Ernst Erich Metzner was elected chairman of the Adalbert Stifter Association at their General meeting of the 15th December 2006, taking over this position from the former chairman, the psychologist Dr. Thomas Thun.

Deputy Chairperson

was born in 1940 in Oberplan (Horní Plana) in the Bohemian Forest . After the expulsion, he grew up in the Bavarian Forest . Mr Löffler has a Nürtingen university college degree in Agriculture and studied Psychology and Behavioural Science in Stuttgart and Tübingen. He was also active in youth education programmes and has organised cultural programmes for German minorities in foreign countries. He was later self-employed in the field of political adult education. He is the founder of the annual „Oberplaner Gespräche“ (Oberplan Talks - since 1997), and founded and runs the bi-lingual „Adalbert-Stifter-Centre“ – a study, education and meeting centre in Oberplan (Horni Plana) (opened in April 2003). He has released publications on the German minority and the Sudeten German question.

Treasurer

was born in 1921 in Sichrow Chateau near the North Bohemian town of Turnov . She spent her childhood and youth in the town of Aussig (Ústí nad Labem ). She studied German, History of Art and Philosophy in Prague and Tübingen and was promoted to PhD with a thesis on the “Gestalten der geistlichen Spiele des Spätmittelalters” (figures of spiritual games in the late Middle Ages). She has lectured at the German Academy in Antwerp . In 1945-46, she endured forced labour near Prague after which she was expelled from Czechoslovakia to Bavaria . She held the post of Adalbert Stifter Association Managing Director from 1952 to 1986. Dr. von Herzogenberg is responsible for numerous exhibitions, co-founded the East-German Gallery in Regensburg and has published exhibition catalogues and tour guides (including Prague ). In 1968, she co-organised the foundation of the „Flying Office for the Support of Czechoslovac Refugees and Emigrants". She has lectured on History of Art and Literature both at home and abroad, has done radio work and released several publications. Her autobiography „Bilderbogen. Aus meinem Leben“ (An Illustrated Worksheet on My Life, 2000) appeared in Czech in 2002.

Further to being honoured with the Order of Merit by the Federal Republic of Germany and the Bavarian Order of Merit, she is also the recipient of the Czech „Za zásluhy“ state honour, awarded by President Václav Havel.

Secretary

was born 1962 in Munich. He studied modern German literary reserach in Munich and Kiel an his thesis was about Adalbert Stifters´novel "Die Mappe meines Urgroßvaters".

He is a free-lance Lecturer and editor, responsible also for the Adalbert Stifter Annual and other works of the Association. He is author of a number of articles which have appeared in several Encyclopaedias and is, of late, on the advisory council of the cultural centre, called the "Pasinger Fabrik" with its focus on literature.

Managing Director

was born in 1952 in Munich . He studied German and History. He was promoted to PhD with a thesis on the literary and historiography representations of the Fall of the Danube Monarchy. He has worked for Bavarian Radio, Goethe-Institute and was active in the Scouts’ Union . He has been managing director at the Adalbert Stifter Association since 1986. Mr Becher is the publisher/co-publisher and author/co-author of numerous publications on literature and cultural history of Bohemia . He is a member of the Czech PEN-Club and the Co-ordination Council of the Czech-German Discussion Forum.