Wolfgang Mommsen

Wolfgang Justin Mommsen (November 5, 1930-August 11, 2004) was a left-wing German historian and the twin brother of Hans Mommsen. He was born in Marburg, the son of the historian Wilhelm Mommsen. He was educated at the University of Marburg, University of Cologne and University of Leeds between 1951-1959. He served as professor at the University of Cologne (1959-1967), University of Düsseldorf (1967-1978) and finally as the director of the German Historical Institute in London between 1978-1985.

Related Topics:
November 5 - 1930 - August 11 - 2004 - Left-wing - Hans Mommsen - Marburg - University of Marburg - University of Cologne - University of Leeds - 1951 - 1959 - University of Düsseldorf - 1967 - London - 1978 - 1985

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Mommsen first rose to fame through an biography of Max Weber in 1959. Mommsen's main areas of expertise are in 19th century-20th century British and German history. His interests were wide-ranging and he has written about diplomatic, social, intellectual, and economic history. Mommsen championed an Sonderweg interpretation of German history. Echoing the views of Hans-Ulrich Wehler and Fritz Fischer, Mommsen argued that 19th century Germany only partially modernized. Economic modernization was not accompanied by political modernization. Much of Mommsen's comparative studies of British and German history concern why in his view, the British had both an political and economic modernization while the Germans had only the latter.

Related Topics:
Max Weber - 1959 - British - German history - Diplomatic - Social - Intellectual - Economic history - Hans-Ulrich Wehler - Fritz Fischer - 19th century - Germany

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In Mommsen's view, the foreign policy of the Second Reich was driven by domestic concerns as the German elite sought distractions abroad to hold off demands at home for democracy. This argument places Mommsen in the Primat der Innenpolitik (Primacy of domestic politics) school against the traditional Primat der Aussenpolitik (Primacy of Foreign Politics) school as explanation for foreign policy. For Mommsen, the major responsibility for the outbreak of the First World War rests on Germany's shoulders. Furthermore, the November Revolution of 1918 did not go far enough and allowed the pre-1918 elite to continue to dominate German life, thus leading inevitably to the Third Reich. Mommsen has written books condemning appeasement. In 1965, he married Sabine von Schalburg, with whom he had three children.

Related Topics:
Second Reich - Democracy - First World War - November Revolution - 1918 - Third Reich - Appeasement - 1965

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In the Historikerstreit, Mommsen took the position that the Holocaust was a uniquely evil event that should not compared to Stalinist terror in the Soviet Union. In 1998, several younger German historians criticized Mommsen for not denouncing the Nazi past of his mentors while a university student in the 1950s.

Related Topics:
Historikerstreit - Holocaust - Stalinist - Soviet Union

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