Hans-Ulrich Wehler
German historian
Last Updated: Jul 2, 2019 See Article History
Hans-Ulrich Wehler, German historian (born Sept. 11, 1931, Freudenberg, Ger.—died July 5, 2014, Berlin, Ger.), analyzed the residual imbalances of 19th-century German industrialization in his consequential 1973 work, The German Empire, 1871–1918, and led a scholarly revival by cultivating the Bielefeld School, a cohort of academics (originally based at Bielefeld [Ger.] University) who critically reexamined Germany's sociopolitical history. As a member of the Hitler Youth, Wehler was drafted into the German military in the final days of World War II. After the war he pursued his studies at the University of Bonn, accepted a Fulbright scholarship at Ohio University, and then completed two dissertations at the University of Cologne. After having taught in Cologne and Berlin, he secured (1971) a position at Bielefeld University, where he captivated students and collaborated with such colleagues as Jürgen Kocka to establish a new school of thought. In addition to applying theories on class conflict and other social structures to account for Hitler's rise to power, Wehler developed a comprehensive history of German society, beginning in the early 18th century. He also frequently engaged in rigorous public debate. Wehler's publications include Das deutsche Kaiserreich, 1871–1918 (1973; The German Empire, 1871–1918).
Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth, organization set up by Adolf Hitler in 1933 for educating and training male youth in Nazi principles. Under the leadership of Baldur von Schirach, head of all German youth programs, the Hitler Youth included by 1935 almost 60 percent of German boys. On July 1, 1936,…
Johann Heinrich von Dannecker
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Oskar Minkowski
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Marcel Schlumberger
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Freudenberg, Germany
July 5, 2014 (aged 82)