PRINCE ASFA-WOSSEN ASSERATE, Ph.D.

was born on October 31, 1948, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He is an Ethio-German political analyst, a consultant for African and Middle-Eastern Affairs and a best-selling author.
A member of the Imperial House of Ethiopia, he is the great nephew of the last Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I, great-grandson of the Empress Menen Asfaw and the son of the last President of the Imperial Crown Council, Prince Asserate Kassa and his wife Princess Zuriash Worq Gabre-Igziabher, and thus is not only a member of the Shoan and Gondarine-Lasta Branch of the Imperial House of Ethiopia, but also of the Royal Branch of the House of Wollo.

Life
Prince Dr. Asfa-Wossen went to the German school in Addis Ababa, where he received his “Abitur”, before studying law, economics and history in the University of Tübingen and at Magdalene College, Cambridge. In 1978, he was awarded a Ph.D. with honours in Ethiopian history at the University of Frankfurt am Main.
In 1974 the military takeover in Ethiopia made it impossible for him to return to the land of his ancestors: His father and sixty other dignitaries of the Imperial Government were executed without a trial and all the members of the Imperial Family were held in kith and kin detention for over a decade. Whilst in Germany Asfa-Wossen Asserate founded the first Human Rights Group for Ethiopia called the “Council for Civil Liberties in Ethiopia (CCLE)” and campaigned for the release of all political prisoners and his detained family until the demise of the Mengistu dictatorship. After leaving university he worked as the Press Officer for the Frankfurter Messegesellschaft (1978-1980), and as the Director of the Press and Information Department of the Düsseldorf Trade Fair and as a
freelance journalist (1980-1983). In 1981 he became a German citizen.
Since 1983 he has been working as a Consultant for African and Middle Eastern Affairs, advising middle-sized German companies regarding their investments in that continent. As a political analyst he has written a considerable number of articles and essays in German daily newspapers and learned publications on subjects related with the politics and the economic situation in Africa. In 1994
he founded ORBIS AETHIOPICUS, the Society for the Preservation and Promotion of Ethiopian Culture that holds scientific congresses with a focus on Ethiopian culture, history and archaeology and places great endeavour to pass on Ethiopia's ancient cultural heritage to the new generation. Sixteen international conferences have since been held in various European countries.
Being aware of the great religious strife that has been a great factor for most of the violence in Africa, Asfa-Wossen Asserate founded PACTUM AFRICANUM – the Alliance for the Promotion of the Abrahamic Dialogue in Africa in 2013. PACTUM AFRICANUM is based on the concept of unwavering religious tolerance and the advancement of the interreligious dialogue on all levels.

Literary work
• Die Deutsche Schule in Addis Abeba – aus äthiopischer Sicht. In: Zeitschrift für Kulturaustausch, Ethiopia special edition 1973 release, E 7225 F.S., pp 162–175
• Manieren. Eichborn, Frankfurt am Main 2003, 388 pages, ISBN 3-8218-4739-5
• as editor, with Aram Mattioli: Der erste faschistische Vernichtungskrieg.
Die italienische Aggression gegen Äthiopien 1935–1941. SH-Verlag, Köln 2006; ISBN 978-3-89498-162-4 (Italien in der Moderne 13)
• as editor: Adolph Freiherr Knigge: Benjamin Noldmanns Geschichte der Aufklärung in Abessynien. Eichborn, Frankfurt am Main 2006; ISBN 3- 8218-4569-4.
• Ein Prinz aus dem Hause David und warum er in Deutschland blieb. Scherz, Frankfurt am Main 2007; ISBN 978-3-502-15063-3
• Draußen nur Kännchen. Meine deutschen Fundstücke. Scherz, Frankfurt
am Main 2010; ISBN 978-3-502-15157-9
• Afrika. Die 101 wichtigsten Fragen und Antworten, Beck'sche Reihe 7023, Munich 2010; ISBN 978-3-406-60096-8
• Integration oder die Kunst, mit der Gabel zu essen. Utz, Munich 2011; ISBN 978-3-8316-4044-7
• Contributions to the English Encyclopaedia Aethiopica; ISBN 3-447-04746-1
• Der letzte Kaiser von Afrika – Triumph und Tragödie des Haile Selassie. Propyläen, Berlin 2014; ISBN 978-3549074282
• King of Kings – The Triumph and Tragedy of Emperor Haile Selassie I. of Ethiopia; Haus Publishing, London, ISBN 978-1-910376-14-0

Awards
• 2004 Adelbert von Chamisso Prize for his bestseller Manieren
• 2008 Honorary Senator of the Eberhard-Karl-University of Tubingen
• 2011 Walter Scheel Prize of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
• 2011 Listros Award for the Advancement of Young Ethiopians in Education
• Jacob-Grimm-Prize for the German Language (The first non-German by birth to receive this award)

Honorary Offices
• Member of the Innovation Council of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development until 2013.
• Member of the Alumni Council of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University.
• Founder and Chairman of the Board of Patrons of ORBIS AETHIOPICUS, the society for the preservation and promotion of Ethiopian Culture (since 1994)
• Chairman of the Executive Board of PACTUM AFRICANUM – the Alliance for the Promotion of the Abrahamic Dialogue in Africa
• Chairman of the Board of the Society for Museums in Ethiopia
• Chairman of the Advisory Board of the German-Ethiopian Students and Graduate Association (DÄSAV e.V.) until 2014
• Patron of Project E (Ethiopia, Education, English)
• Patron of the Ethiopian National Arts Council (ENAC)
• President and Founder of the Council for Civil Liberties in Ethiopia (CCLE) from 1974 – 1991
• Patron of TheMoveForwardProject
• Royal Protector of the Ordo Militiae Christi Templi Hierosolymitani (2008)