History
On March 22nd 2006 the University of Freiburg Senate granted the Hermann Paul Centre official recognition as a legitimate institute. Prof. Dr. Peter Auer was elected the first director of the institute and simultaneously serves as a member of the directorate along with professors Dr. Bernd Kortmann and Dr. Gerhard Strube.
The HPCL has since then celebrated its recent induction with an opening ceremony in the elegant university auditorium (Kollegiengebäude I) on 18 May 2007. The Centre was honoured by the appearance of Prof. Dr. Karl-Reinhard Volz, who gave the opening remarks. The ceremony featured lectures by HPCL Director, Prof. Dr. Peter Auer, directorate member Prof. Dr. Gerhard Strube as well as two guest lectures by pidgin and creole specialist Prof. Dr. Peter Mühlhäuser and Prof. Dr. Gerhard Blanken of the University of Erfurt.
In November 2008, the Hermann Paul School of Language Sciences was inaugurated. It is the graduate school of the University of Freiburg for languages and linguistics which was founded following an initiative of the Center.
Since April 22, 2021, the current board is formed by Prof. Dr. Uta Reinöhl (director and speaker of HPCL), Prof. Dr. Evelyn Ferstl and Prof. Dr. Dr. Christian Mair.
