EN
The article is dedicated to memory of outstanding East-German sociologist Prof. Helmut Steiner., known as a true intellectual and broad-minded person. H. Steiner has passed away on February 14, 2009. Through a prism of his personal life, a dramatic and, in fact, tragic (in its final stage after Germany unification since the 1990's) the history of forming and development of sociology in the German Democratic Republic is revealed in some significant strokes. Sociology in GDR was formed on the ruins of the post-war split German society, developed intensively under high level of the society's anti-fascist and socialist consolidation since the end of the 1950's, experienced enormously strong ideological pressure caused by political system since the end of the 1960's, has coped with many barriers and produced the original scientific culture as well as research outcomes picturing deep tendencies of the society development. Under such developments, Prof. Steiner's personal scientific, ethic and life position as a sociologist who lived in the name of science was especially significant. His life was devoted to high values of scientific vocation that cannot exist without criticque of society.