Hans Kelsen: una biografía cultural mínima

El artículo trata sobre la importancia del pensamiento y la figura de Hans Kelsen dentro de la ciencia jurídica del siglo XX y el lugar privilegiado que tiene reservado en la misma su Teoría Pura del Derecho. Ésta sitúa a Kelsen como un filósofo del Derecho aunque sus primeros intereses hayan sido la teoría del Estado y el Derecho público y aparezca el Derecho internacional como el tema más tratado en sus escritos. Los hechos históricos que determinaron la vida de este autor se van enlazando con sus preocupaciones teóricas. Así, la unificación jurídica de las monarquías austríaca y húngara coinciden con su juventud, sus aportes a la Constitución de Austria de 1920, su expulsión de la Universidad de Colonia tras la subida al poder de los nazis o su traslado a los E.E.U.U. una vez desatada la Segunda Guerra Mundial.

This article is about the importance of the Hans Kelsen’s thought and figure in the legal science of the XX century and the privileged place that his Pure Theory of Law has in the current conception of law. The Pure Theory of Law places Kelsen like one of the most important philosopher of law in the XX century. However, at the beginning of his career he was interested in General Theory of Law and State, Public Law and International Law appears like the most important issue in his works. The historical facts wich determinating the life of this author were connected with his theorical concerns. For example, the process of legal unification between the monarchies of Hungary and Austria were quite relevant during his youth. His contributions for the Austrian Constitution in 1920, the moment when he was sent off from the university after the ascent of the Nazis to the power or his movement to USA once the Second World War started.