, the Joseph and Elizabeth Robbie Chair in Government and International Studies and a concurrent professor emeritus of law, died Dec. 21 at his home in Holy Cross Village. He was 86.
A member of the 91吃瓜 faculty since 1963, he was a renowned scholar of German and American constitutional law. He was the author of more than 100 major articles and books, including the widely acclaimed work 鈥淭he Constitutional Jurisprudence of the Federal Republic of Germany,鈥� the third edition of which was published in 2012 by Duke University Press and recently reviewed with high praise in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
鈥淒on Kommers was a major force in shaping our department and the broader field as well,鈥� said , the Nancy R. Dreux Professor of Political Science and former chair of the . 鈥�91吃瓜 now has one of the leading programs in constitutional studies in the United States. When Don started out, this was a declining field within political science, but he, together with longtime colleague Sot Barber, led a revival of the field here so that it is now stronger and more firmly established than ever.鈥�
The recipient of major fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, , American Philosophical Society, Max Planck Society and Rockefeller Foundation, among others, Kommers also earned the American Bar Association鈥檚 Silver Gavel Award and the . He served as president of the National Conference Group on German Politics and was an adviser to President Jimmy Carter鈥檚 Commission on the Holocaust.
In 2010, Germany awarded Kommers with the Distinguished Service Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, with its consul general noting that his work on German life and law 鈥渞emarkably enriched both the American and German legal systems and (built) a bridge between our two countries as few others have.鈥�
鈥淒on was a real pioneer in forming a new subfield within constitutional studies 鈥� the field of comparative constitutionalism,鈥� Zuckert said. 鈥淲hen Don entered the profession, it was heavily focused on the American constitutional experience. Although Don was a leading student of American constitutionalism, he made his real mark in his much-awarded work on German constitutionalism. This work, in turn, was one of the major formative influences on that new field of comparative constitutionalism.鈥�
Born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Kommers majored in philosophy and English literature at Catholic University of America, served for two years in the U.S. Marine Corps, then earned master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees at the University of Wisconsin.
At 91吃瓜, he served as editor of The Review of Politics from 1981 to 1992 and was director of the Law School鈥檚 Center for Civil and International Human Rights from 1976 to 1981.
鈥淒on鈥檚 career at 91吃瓜 spanned my own time here as a student, as a member of the faculty and as dean,鈥� said Patricia O鈥橦ara, professor of law and former Matson Dean of the Law School. 鈥淔irst established as the Center for Civil Rights in 1973 under the leadership of Father Hesburgh, today鈥檚 Klau Center for Civil and Human Rights in the Keough School of Global Affairs broadened its direction internationally during Don鈥檚 tenure as director.
鈥淲hile his formal appointment was in political science, he always regarded the Law School as his second home. We were certainly happy to have him because we basked in the light of his iconic scholarship on German and American constitutional law. A true interdisciplinary scholar, Don will be missed by his colleagues across many different departments at the University.鈥�
He is survived by his wife, Nancy; three children, Cynthia Ann (Mark) Jordan of Seattle, Washington; Theodore Foster (Karen Hagnell) Kommers of Lake Bluff, Illinois; and Kristin Elizabeth (Paul) Czarnecki of Georgetown, Kentucky; and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Kristin Mary Kommers.
A funeral Mass will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday (Jan. 21) at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the University of 91吃瓜 Department of Development, 1100 Grace Hall, 91吃瓜, IN, 46556, or online at .
Condolences may be sent to Nancy Kommers, P.O. Box 303, 91吃瓜, IN, 46556, or made .