Kurt Treu

Kurt Treu (1922-1991) was a German papyrologist and Coptologist. He was a prominent figure in the study of ancient Greek and Coptic texts, particularly those found on papyrus.

Treu studied classical philology and ancient history at the University of Halle, receiving his doctorate in 1950. He became a research assistant at the Institute for Graeco-Roman Antiquity of the German Academy of Sciences in Berlin, later becoming a research associate. In 1969, he became a professor of papyrology at the Humboldt University of Berlin, a position he held until his retirement.

Treu's research focused on the editing and interpretation of papyri, especially those related to early Christianity and Gnosticism. He published extensively on the Nag Hammadi Library and other Coptic texts. His work contributed significantly to the understanding of the religious and cultural landscape of late antiquity. He also worked on Greek literary papyri and contributed to the study of Greek paleography.