Germán Gullón, 1945-2025
The distinguished literary critic and scholar Germán Gullón, Professor Emeritus of the University of Amsterdam, and a Professor of Spanish at the University of California, Davis between 1988 and 1993, passed away on June 28th. He was 80 years old.
Born in Santander (Spain) on May 21, 1945, Gullón received an undergraduate degree in Romance philology from the University of Salamanca (1969), and a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin (1973). In addition to UC Davis, he taught at the University of Pennsylvania (1973-88), where he was awarded tenure, and the University of Amsterdam (1993-2010).
Gullón was a specialist in 19th and 20thcentury Spanish literature, and an authority on the work of the realist novelist Benito Pérez Galdós. He was a highly prolific scholar, publishing numerous books, critical editions of Galdós’s novels, and countless articles and reviews. In addition, as a creative writer he published novels and short stories. He also chaired the Asociación Internacional de Galdosistas (International Association of Galdós Scholars) and the Cervantes Institute of Utrecht, served for several years on the jury for Spain’s Premio Nadal literary prize, and received numerous grants, awards, and distinctions.
Robert J. Blake, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Spanish, notes that following: “Germán was a beloved teacher by both undergraduates and graduates. A generous spirit that inspired many a student to pursue and finish their graduate studies. A model colleague who made many innovations to the curriculum, especially in the area of critical theory.”
The faculty of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese expresses its sympathies to Professor Gullón’s family, friends, colleagues, and former students.