What is black coal? What is it made of and where does it come from? What are its advantages and why? What was it used for and why not? In the 19th century, questions such as these increasingly came to the attention of scientists and miners. They were triggered by the rising economic value of hard coal, the increasing necessity of a secure supply, but also by the widespread use of hard coal. Nevertheless, little is known about how contemporaries in the age of industrialization viewed the materiality of this raw material. Using the example of three small areas of the German black coal mining industry, this book takes a look behind the scenes of industrialization and makes black coal, one of its most important raw materials, an actor in history.

edited by Martina Heßler

The love for cars, atomic euphoria, fear of machines, rage and frustration in dealing with computers: technology triggered diverse and sometimes violent emotions in the 19th and 20th centuries. Emotions related to technology influenced its development, its acceptance and its use. Now, a new edited volume by Martina Heßler deals with this important but often neglected topic in history. With contributions by Christopher Neumainer, Kevin Liggieri, Garbiele Gramelsberger oder Julia Zons.

Ehemaliger Mitarbeiter des Instituts verstorben

Das Institut für Geschichte trauert um Dietrich Bruckner, Oberstudienrat im Hochschuldienst, der von 1970 bis 2001 bei uns tätig war.

Fresh from the printing press: The book “Man as Pet. Breeding and Optimization in Philosophy and Literature” by our team member Kevin Liggieri was just published.

Publication of "Concepts of Urban-Environmental History"

Publisher: Martin Bauch und Gerrit J. Schenk

Subtitle: “Teleconnections between Environmental and Societal Change?” De Gruyter

The price has been awarded in January to: Michaela Ratzka, Tanja Thieves und Aysegül Aksit.

"The Middle Ages from a culinary perspective": students taste traditional recipes

The second time in a row the prize goes to the Institute of History

Article released in the collection "Kulturen des Risikos im Mittelalter und in der Frühen Neuzeit"

Prof. Dr. Gerrit Jasper Schenk Co-Organizer

More than 130 scientists and practitioners from 30 countries and UN organizations met at the Herrenhausen Conference “Extreme Events – Building Climate Resilient Societies” supported by the Volkswagen Foundation in Hanover at Herrenhausen Palace from October 9 to 11, 2019.