Hellmut Diwald
Encyclopedia
Hellmut Diwald was a German historian and Professor of Medieval and Modern History at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg from 1965 to 1985.
He was originally from southern Moravia
, the son of an Austria
n engineer and a Czech mother, and went to school in Prague
before the family relocated to Nuremberg
in Bavaria
in 1938. During World War II
, he served in the German Army. After the war, he went on to study Mechanical Engineering
in Nuremberg before he studied Philosophy, German and History at the universities of Hamburg
and Erlangen. He earned a doctorate in history in 1952 and completed his Habilitation
in 1958. In 1965, he was appointed as Professor of Medieval and Modern History at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, where he taught until his retirement in 1985. He was editor of Zeitschrift für Religions- und Geistesgeschichte, a scientific journal, from 1948 to 1966.
Diwald earned much recognition for his books on the philosopher Wilhelm Dilthey
(1963) and his publication of the works of Ernst Ludwig von Gerlach
(1970), as well as for his biography of Albrecht von Wallenstein
(1969) and his book on European history from 1400 to 1555. He also regularly appeared on the ZDF
TV show Fragen zur Zeit and was a regular contributor of articles to the newspaper Die Welt
. He is also known for a widely discussed book on German history from 1978. He published his opus magnum
, Die Großen Ereignisse. Fünf Jahrtausende Weltgeschichte in Darstellungen und Dokumenten, a history of humankind during the last 5000 years in six volumes, in 1990. In 1981, he co-founded the Zeitgeschichtliche Forschungsstelle Ingolstadt
.
He was married to Susanne Diwald, a scholar of Islamic studies
who also taught at the University of Erlangen (until 1989).
He was originally from southern Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
, the son of an Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n engineer and a Czech mother, and went to school in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
before the family relocated to Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
in Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
in 1938. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he served in the German Army. After the war, he went on to study Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
in Nuremberg before he studied Philosophy, German and History at the universities of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
and Erlangen. He earned a doctorate in history in 1952 and completed his Habilitation
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
in 1958. In 1965, he was appointed as Professor of Medieval and Modern History at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, where he taught until his retirement in 1985. He was editor of Zeitschrift für Religions- und Geistesgeschichte, a scientific journal, from 1948 to 1966.
Diwald earned much recognition for his books on the philosopher Wilhelm Dilthey
Wilhelm Dilthey
Wilhelm Dilthey was a German historian, psychologist, sociologist and hermeneutic philosopher, who held Hegel's Chair in Philosophy at the University of Berlin. As a polymathic philosopher, working in a modern research university, Dilthey's research interests revolved around questions of...
(1963) and his publication of the works of Ernst Ludwig von Gerlach
Ernst Ludwig von Gerlach
Ernst Ludwig von Gerlach was a conservative Prussian judge, politician, and editor. He was the son of Carl Friedrich Leopold von Gerlach and the brother of Ludwig Friedrich Leopold von Gerlach....
(1970), as well as for his biography of Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht von Wallenstein
Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Wallenstein , actually von Waldstein, was a Bohemian soldier and politician, who offered his services, and an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men during the Danish period of the Thirty Years' War , to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II...
(1969) and his book on European history from 1400 to 1555. He also regularly appeared on the ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
TV show Fragen zur Zeit and was a regular contributor of articles to the newspaper Die Welt
Die Welt
Die Welt is a German national daily newspaper published by the Axel Springer AG company.It was founded in Hamburg in 1946 by the British occupying forces, aiming to provide a "quality newspaper" modelled on The Times...
. He is also known for a widely discussed book on German history from 1978. He published his opus magnum
Opus Magnum
Opus Magnum is the third album by Austrian melodic death metal band Hollenthon, released by Napalm Records in 2008. Limited edition digipack contains bonus track, "The Bazaar" and video clip for "Son of Perdition"....
, Die Großen Ereignisse. Fünf Jahrtausende Weltgeschichte in Darstellungen und Dokumenten, a history of humankind during the last 5000 years in six volumes, in 1990. In 1981, he co-founded the Zeitgeschichtliche Forschungsstelle Ingolstadt
Zeitgeschichtliche Forschungsstelle Ingolstadt
The Zeitgeschichtliche Forschungsstelle Ingolstadt e. V. is a historical revisionist association located in Dunsdorf, Bavaria.-Political orientation:The ZFI was founded in 1981 and shaped by Alfred Schickel, Hellmut...
.
He was married to Susanne Diwald, a scholar of Islamic studies
Islamic studies
In a Muslim context, Islamic studies can be an umbrella term for all virtually all of academia, both originally researched and as defined by the Islamization of knowledge...
who also taught at the University of Erlangen (until 1989).
Works
- Untersuchungen zum Geschichtsrealismus im 19. Jahrhundert. Dissertation. Erlangen 1952
- Der Hegelianismus in Preussen von Heinrich Leo. Hrsg. Leiden-Köln, 1958
- Lebendiger Geist. Hrsg., Leiden-Köln, 1959
- Leopold von Ranke, Geschichte Wallensteins. Hrsg., Düsseldorf, 1967
- Wilhelm Dilthey, Erkenntnistheorie und Philosophie der Geschichte. Goettingen, 1963
- Wallenstein. Eine Biographie. Muenchen-Esslingen, 1969, ISBN 3-7628-0432-X
- Die Freiheit des Glaubens, Freiheit und Toleranz in der abendländischen Geschichte. Hannover, 1967
- Ernst Moritz Arndt. Das Entstehen des deutschen Nationalbewußtseins. München, 1970
- Ernst Ludwig von Gerlach, Von der Revolution zum Norddeutschen Bund. Hrsg., Goettingen, 1970
- Die Anerkennung. Bericht zur Klage der Nation. München-Esslingen, 1970
- Friedrich Schiller, Wallenstein. Frankfurt/M – Berlin – Wien, 1970
- Menschen und Mächte – Geschichte im Blickpunkt. Buchreihe mit 8 Bänden, Hrsg., München, 1973
- Anspruch auf Mündigkeit, Propyläen Geschichte Europas Band 1, 1400–1555. Frankfurt/M – Berlin – Wien, 1975, ISBN 3-549-05481-5
- Geschichte der Deutschen. Propyläen. Frankfurt/M – Berlin – Wien, 1978, ISBN 3-549-05801-2
- Der Kampf um die Weltmeere. München/Zürich, 1980
- Im Zeichen des Adlers, Porträts berühmter Preußen. Hrsg., Bergisch Gladbach, 1981
- Luther. Eine Biographie. Bergisch Gladbach, 1982, ISBN 3-404-61096-2
- Lebensbilder Martin Luthers. Bergisch Gladbach, 1982
- Dokumente Deutschen Daseins. Hrsg., Krefeld, 1983
- Mut zur Geschichte. 1983, ISBN 3-8334-4593-9
- Die Erben Poseidons. Seemachtpolitik im 20. Jahrh.. München, 1984
- Inferiorität als Staatsräson., Hrsg., Krefeld, 1985
- Heinrich der Erste. Die Gründung des Deutschen Reichs. Bergisch Gladbach, 1987
- Der Fall Rose. Ein Nürnberger Urteil wird widerlegt. Einleitung. Mut-Verlag, Asendorf 1988, ISBN 3-89182-033-X
- Geschichte macht Mut. Erlangen, 1989
- Deutschland Einig Vaterland. Geschichte unserer Gegenwart. Ullstein. Frankfurt/M – Berlin, 1990, ISBN 3-8334-5463-6
- Die Großen Ereignisse. Fünf Jahrtausende Weltgeschichte. 6 Bände, Coron, Lachen am Zürichsee, 1990
- Ein Querkopf braucht kein Alibi: Szenen der Geschichte. Frankfurt/M – Berlin, 1991, ISBN 3-8334-5464-4
- Warum so bedrückt? Deutschland hat Zukunft. Hrsg., Hohenrain-Verlag, Tübingen 1992, ISBN 3-89180-034-7.
- Unsere gestohlene Geschichte. Deutsche Akademie für Bildung und Kultur, München 1992
- Handbuch zur Deutschen Nation, Band 4, Deutschlands Einigung und Europas Zukunft. Hrsg., Tübingen, 1992
Honours
- 1979 Kulturpreis für Wissenschaft der Sudetendeutschen Landsmannschaft
- 1980 Südmährischer Kulturpreis
- 1980 Johannes Mathesius – Medaille
- 1983 Kant-Plakette der Deutschen Akademie für Bildung und Kultur
- 1988 Goldener Ehrenring „Der deutschen Literatur“ des Deutschen Kulturwerkes Europäischen Geistes
- 1990 Bismarck-Medaille in Gold
- 1992 Schiller-Preis des Deutschen Kulturwerks Europäischen Geistes (DKEG)