Suspicion of plagiarism: Goethe University examines dissertation by Mathias Döpfner

In 1991 Mathias Döpfner published his dissertation entitled "Music criticism in Germany after 1945: Content and formal tendencies - a critical analysis".

The 334-page study is advertised by Peter Lang Verlag with the words: “Who criticizes the critic?

The present work attempts it.” Now the critic of music criticism is being criticized, by commercially oriented plagiarism finders.

As the news magazine "Der Spiegel" first reported, they are said to have found 28 text transfers in Döpfner's work without sufficient evidence.

The Frankfurt University set up a commission to examine the allegations.

The university confirmed this to the FAZ: "Goethe University takes the safeguarding of good scientific practice very seriously," explains press spokesman Olaf Kaltenborn.

He refers to the rules in the "Statutes of the JW Goethe University to ensure good scientific practice".

No information on the duration of the procedure

The university further states: "A commission was set up to deal with scientific misconduct, to which the facts were submitted for examination.

According to its statutes, the proceedings before the commission dealing with scientific misconduct are absolutely confidential".

Kaltenborn did not want to answer the question from the FAZ as to when the process is likely to be completed.

So far, the “Spiegel” has quoted only a few of the 28 possible plagiarism fragments.

It is therefore unclear how serious the takeovers are.

According to the case law of the Federal Administrative Court, there is no general assessment as to whether a dissertation can still be considered to be the doctoral candidate’s own contribution: “The plagiarism sites must characterize the work quantitatively, qualitatively or in an overall view of both possibilities.

A quantitative character is to be affirmed if the number of plagiarism sites and their share in the work get out of hand in view of the total scope.

Such passages characterize the work qualitatively if the rest of the dissertation does not meet the content requirements for a considerable scientific achievement.” The Frankfurt commission must now carry out this weighing up.

According to the German Press Agency, Mathias Döpfner did not want to comment specifically on the allegations.

A spokesman for Springer Verlag told dpa that the long-time chairman of the board was informed about the process: "He has full confidence in the work of the Frankfurt University commission."