Biography Between Structure and Agency: Central European Lives in International Historiography (Studies in German History, 9)

Introduction: biography in modern history, modern historiography in biography / Simone Lässig -- Biography and the historian: opportunities and constraints / Ian Kershaw -- Dreams and nightmares: writing the biography of Kaiser Wilhelm II / John C.G. Röhl -- Gustav Stresemann: a German Bürger? / Karl Heinrich Pohl -- Women's biographies, men's history? / Angelika Schaser -- Historiography, biography and experience: the case of Hans Rothfels / Jan Eckel -- A historian's life in biographical perspective: John Huizinga / Christoph Strupp -- The heroic ecstasy of drunken elephants: the substrate of nature in Max Weber, a missing link between his life and work /Joachim Radkau -- Generational experience and genocide: a biographical approach to Nazi perpetrators / Michael Wildt -- Criminal biographies and biographies of criminals: understanding the history of war crimes trials and perpetrator "routes to crime" using biographical method / Hilary Earl -- From Himmler's circle of friends to the Lions Club: the career of a provincial Nazi leader / Hartmut Berghoff and Cornelia Rauh-Kühne -- Contexts and contradictions: writing the biography of a Holocaust survivor / Mark Roseman -- The improbable biography: uncommon sources, a moving identity, a plural story? / Willem Frijhoff -- Structuralism and biography: some concluding thoughts on the uncertainties of a historiographical genre / Volker R. Berghahn.;Although the volume concentrates on European historiography, its strong methodological and conceptual focus will be of great interest to non-European historians wrestling with the old "structure-versus-agency" question in their own work."--Jacket. While Bookstore Shelves Around The World Have Never Ceased To Display Best-selling Life-and-letters Biographies In Prominent Positions, The Genre Became Less Popular Among Academic Historians During The Cold War Decades. Their Main Concern Then Was With Political And Socioeconomic Structures, Institutions, And Organizations, Or - More Recently - With The Daily Lives Of Ordinary People And Small Communities. The Contributors To This Volume - All Well Known Senior Historians - Offer Self-critical Reflections On Problems They Encountered When Writing Biographies Themselves. Some Of Them Also Deal With Topics Specific To Central Europe, Such As The Challenges Of Writing About The Lives Of Both Victims And Perpetrators. Although The Volume Concentrates On European Historiography, Its Strong Methodological And Conceptual Focus Will Be Of Great Interest To Non-european Historians Wrestling With The Old Structure-versus-agency Question In Their Own Work.--jacket. Introduction: Biography In Modern History, Modern Historiography In Biography / Simone Lässig -- Biography And The Historian: Opportunities And Constraints / Ian Kershaw -- Dreams And Nightmares: Writing The Biography Of Kaiser Wilhelm Ii / John C.g. Röhl -- Gustav Stresemann: A German Bürger? / Karl Heinrich Pohl -- Women's Biographies, Men's History? / Angelika Schaser -- Historiography, Biography And Experience: The Case Of Hans Rothfels / Jan Eckel -- A Historian's Life In Biographical Perspective: John Huizinga / Christoph Strupp -- The Heroic Ecstasy Of Drunken Elephants: The Substrate Of Nature In Max Weber, A Missing Link Between His Life And Work /joachim Radkau -- Generational Experience And Genocide: A Biographical Approach To Nazi Perpetrators / Michael Wildt -- Criminal Biographies And Biographies Of Criminals: Understanding The History Of War Crimes Trials And Perpetrator Routes To Crime Using Biographical Method / Hilary Earl -- From Himmler's Circle Of Friends To The Lions Club: The Career Of A Provincial Nazi Leader / Hartmut Berghoff And Cornelia Rauh-kühne -- Contexts And Contradictions: Writing The Biography Of A Holocaust Survivor / Mark Roseman -- The Improbable Biography: Uncommon Sources, A Moving Identity, A Plural Story? / Willem Frijhoff -- Structuralism And Biography: Some Concluding Thoughts On The Uncertainties Of A Historiographical Genre / Volker R. Berghahn. Edited By Volker R. Berghahn And Simone Lässig. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 251-261) And Index. While bookstore shelves around the world have never ceased to display best-selling “life-and-letters” biographies in prominent positions, the genre became less popular among academic historians during the Cold War decades. Their main concern then was with political and socioeconomic structures, institutions, and organizations, or—more recently—with the daily lives of ordinary people and small communities. The contributors to this volume—all well known senior historians—offer self-critical reflections on problems they encountered when writing biographies themselves. Some of them also deal with topics specific to Central Europe, such as the challenges of writing about the lives of both victims and perpetrators. Although the volume concentrates on European historiography, its strong methodological and conceptual focus will be of great interest to non-European historians wrestling with the old “structure-versus-agency” question in their own work. Contributors: Volker R. Berghahn, Hartmut Berghoff, Hilary Earl, Jan Eckel, Willem Frijhoff, Ian Kershaw, Simone Lässig, Karl Heinrich Pohl, John C. G. Röhl, Angelika Schaser, Joachim Radkau, Cornelia Rauh-Kühne, Mark Roseman, Christoph Strupp and Michael Wildt.