Christian Rathmann (born 3 September 1970) is a German Deaf linguist and full professor at Humboldt‑Universität zu Berlin, heading the Department of Deaf Studies and Sign Language Interpreting. He was the first Deaf person in Germany to hold a full professorship in Deaf Studies and interpreting research, previously holding a chair at the University of Hamburg, and his work centers on sign language linguistics, acquisition, interpreting, and Deaf Studies.
Early life and education
Rathmann attended a school for the Deaf in Erfurt before studying linguistics in Hamburg, Germany and later at the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned his PhD in 2005. His doctoral dissertation examined the event structure in American Sign Language[1]
Academic career
After completing his PhD, he served as a faculty member at the Institute for German Sign Language and Communication of the Deaf at the University of Hamburg, where he was a full professor from approximately 2008 to 2017[1][2]. In 2017 he moved to Humboldt‑Universität zu Berlin to head the newly formed Department for Deaf Studies and Sign Language Interpreting, becoming Germany’s first Deaf full professor in this field[1][2].
Research focus and contributions
Rathmann’s research interests include the linguistic structure and function of sign languages, developmental acquisition, sign language teaching and interpreting, language planning, and communication in Deaf communities[2][3]. He has published extensively—including foundational work on verb agreement, modality, and language transmission—and co‑founded the international network DeafAcademics.org to support Deaf scholars worldwide[1].
Teaching and leadership
As head of his department at Humboldt‑Berlin, Rathmann oversees teaching on topics such as psycholinguistics of sign languages, bilingualism, interpreting research, and qualitative and quantitative methods in Deaf Studies. He also collaborates internationally, including leading the Estonian Sign Language Research Lab in partnership with Tallinn University and supervising doctoral researchers across projects[3].
Selected publications and advocacy
collaboration with colleagues, Rathmann has co-authored important reviews on early sign language exposure for deaf children, including the widely cited “Support for parents of deaf children: Common questions and informed, evidence‑based answers” (2019), and the 2024 article “An approach designed to fail deaf children and their parents and how to change it.” These papers critique oral-only paradigms and advocate for early accessible language exposure via sign language[4][5]. He has also contributed to theoretical and descriptive works on sign language grammar, transmission, and standardization in Europe[1].
Legacy and impact
Widely acknowledged as a pioneer in Deaf academic leadership in Germany, Rathmann's career bridges linguistic scholarship, educational innovation, and activist advocacy. As the first Deaf full professor in Germany in his field, he has played a key role in shaping research agendas, mentoring Deaf academics, and promoting accessible sign language education across Europe[1].
- Wikipedia contributors. (2025). Christian Rathmann. German Wikipedia entry.
- Humboldt‑Universität zu Berlin. Humboldt‑Universität zu Berlin. Prof. Dr. Christian Rathmann, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (staff profile), Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (staff profile).
- Tallinn University Lab Members page. Prof. Dr. Christian Rathmann, Head of Dept. Deaf Studies & Sign Language Interpreting, Humboldt‑Berlin.
- Humphries, T., Kushalnagar, P., Mathur, G., Napoli, D. J., Rathmann, C., & Smith, S. (2019). Support for parents of deaf children: Common questions and informed, evidence-based answers. International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology, 118, 134-142.
- Humphries, T., Mathur, G., Napoli, D. J., & Rathmann, C. (2024). An approach designed to fail deaf children and their parents and how to change it. Harm Reduction Journal, 21(1), 132.
