Professor Dr. MARIO KESSLER
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Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung Am Neuen Markt 1 D-14467 Potsdam, Germany
Tel.: +331-28 991 57
Fax: +331-28 991 40
Email: mariokessler@yahoo.com
Current Positions:
Since 2005 Extraordinary Professor, University of Potsdam.
Since 1996 Research Fellow, Center for Contemporary Historical Research (Zentrum für
Zeithistorische Forschung), Potsdam, Germany.
Previous Positions:
1992-1995 Research Fellow, Institute for Contemporary Historical Studies (Forschungsschwerpunkt
Zeithistorische Studien) at the Max Planck Society, Potsdam
1987-1991 Research Fellow, Institute for World History, Academy of Sciences, Berlin.
1982-1987 Assistant, Center for African and Near Eastern Studies, University of Leipzig.
Education:
1990 Habilitation (Post-doctoral qualification), Academy of Sciences, on Zionismus und Internationale Arbeiterbewegung, 1897-1933 (Zionism and the International Labor Movement, 1897-1933).
1982 Ph.D. University of Leipzig, Magna Cum Laude. Dissertation: Die Komintern und der arabische Osten, 1919-1929 (The Comintern and the Arab East, 1919-1929).
1979 M.A. (Diploma), University of Leipzig.
1974 University Studies in Jena and Leipzig: Mainly History and German Literature (until 1979).
Work Areas:
Research Interests: 20th Century German & European History; Modern Anti-Semitism; German-Speaking Intellectuals in Exile After 1933; History of Historiography; European Labor Movements.
Teaching Areas: Modern German & European History; Modern History of the Middle East (especially Israel/Palestine); History of European Labor Movements; Socialism, Communism & the Colonial Question; Modern Historiography; Cultural History of Modern Germany; German and Soviet Cinema; Modern Anti-Semitism; Western Civilization since 1618.
Book Publications:
Book Monographs:
Ossip K. Flechtheim: Politischer Wissenschaftler und Zukunftsdenker, 1909-1998 (Ossip K. Flechtheim: Political Scientist and Futurologist, 1909-1998), Cologne: Böhlau, 2007, 295 pp.
On Anti-Semitism and Socialism: Selected Essays, Berlin: trafo verlag, 2005, 208 pp.
Vom bürgerlichen Zeitalter zur Globalisierung: Beiträge zur Geschichte der Arbeiterbewegung (From the Age of Bourgeoisie to Globalization: Contributions to the History of the Labor Movement), Berlin: trafo verlag, 2005, 217 pp.
Ein Funken Hoffnung. Verwicklungen: Antisemitismus, Nahost, Stalinismus (A Margin of Hope: Notes on Anti-Semitism, the Middle, East, and Stalinism), Hamburg: VSA, 2004, 206 pp.
Arthur Rosenberg: Ein Historiker im Zeitalter der Katastrophen (1889-1943). (Arthur Rosenberg: Historian in the Age of Catastrophes, 1889-1943), Preface by Theodor Bergmann, Cologne: Böhlau, 2003, 335 pp.
Exil und Nach-Exil: Vertriebene Intellektuelle im 20. Jahrhundert (Exile and Beyond: Twentieth Century Refugee Intellectuals), Hamburg: VSA, 2002, 208 pp.
Exilerfahrung in Wissenschaft und Politik: Remigrierte Historiker in der frühen DDR (Exile Experience in Scholarship and Politics: Re-migrated Historians in the Early DDR). Preface by Georg G. Iggers, Cologne: Böhlau, 2001, 367 pp.
Heroische Illusion und Stalin-Terror: Beiträge zur Kommunismus-Forschung (Heroic Illusion and Stalinist Terror: Contributions to Research on Communism), Hamburg: VSA, 1999, 237 pp.
Die SED und die Juden – zwischen Repression und Toleranz: Politische Entwicklungen bis 1967 (The SED and the Jews: Between Repression and Tolerance. Political Developments Until 1967), Berlin: Akademie Verlag, 1995, 221 pp.
Zionismus und internationale Arbeiterbewegung, 1897-1933 (Zionism and the International Labor Movement, 1897-1933). Preface by Theodor Bergmann, Berlin: Akademie Verlag, 1994, 210 pp.
Antisemitismus, Zionismus und Sozialismus: Arbeiterbewegung und jüdische Frage im 20. Jahrhundert (Anti-Semitism, Zionism, and Socialism: The International Labor Movement and the ‘Jewish Question’ in the 20th Century), Mainz: Decaton, 1993 (2nd ed. 1994), 156 pp.
Edited Books:
Deutsche Historiker im Exil, 1933-1945 (German Historians in Exile, 1933-1945), Berlin: Metropol-Verlag, 2005, 339 pp.
Ostdeutsche Sozialwissenschaftler: Wege der Reintegration (East German Social Scientists: Ways of Re-Intgration). Ed. with Stefan Bollinger and Ulrich v. d. Heyden, Berlin: trafo verlag, 2004, 346 pp.
Zwischen den Lagern: Linkssozialisten in Deutschland 1918-1933 (Between the Camps: Leftist Socialists in Germany, 1918-1933). Ed. with Klaus Kinner, Leipzig: Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, 2003, 140 pp.
Der Widerschein der Russischen Revolution: Ein kritischer Rückblick auf 1917 und die Folgen (Reflections on the Russian Revolution: 1917 and Its Impacts in Critical Perspective). Ed. with Theodor Bergmann, Wladislaw Hedeler, and Gert Schäfer, Hamburg: VSA, 1997, 259 pp.
Zwischen Utopie und Kritik: Friedrich Engels – ein ‘Klassiker’ nach 100 Jahren (Between Utopia and Critique: Friedrich Engels, a ‘Classic’ After 100 Years). Ed. with Theodor Bergmann, Joost Kircz, and Gert Schäfer, Hamburg: VSA, 1996, 283 pp.
Ausblicke auf das vergangene Jahrhundert: Die Politik der internationalen Arbeiterbewegung von 1900 bis 2000 (Looking Forward to the Past Century: The Politics of the International Labor Movement Between 1900 and 2000). Ed. with Wladislaw Hedeler and Gert Schäfer, Hamburg: VSA, 1996, 401 pp.
Lenin: Theorie und Praxis in historischer Perspektive (Lenin: Theory and Practice in Historical Perspective). Ed. with Theodor Bergmann, Wladislaw Hedeler, and Gert Schäfer, Mainz: Decaton, 1994, 272 pp.
Arbeiterbewegung und Antisemitismus: Entwicklungslinien im 20. Jahrhundert (The International Labor Movement and Anti-Semitism: Main Trends in 20th Century Politics), Bonn: Pahl-Rugenstein Nachf., 1993, 174 pp.
Ketzer im Kommunismus: Alternativen zum Stalinismus (Heretics in Communism: Alternatives to Stalinism). Ed. with Theodor Bergmann, Mainz: Decaton, 1993, Hamburg: VSA, 2003, 464 pp.
Aufstieg und Zerfall der Komintern: Studien zur Geschichte ihrer Transformation, 1919-1943 (The Rise and Fall of the Comintern: Studies in the History of its Transformation, 1919-1943). Ed. with Theodor Bergmann, Mainz: Diskurs, 1992, 264 pp.
Others:
5 pamphlets.
186 essays, book chapters, and reports.
Around one-hundred book reviews.
Editorial Board:
Jüdische Studien (Jewish Studies), 3 Volumes. Ed. with John Bunzl, Walter Grab, and Jack Jacobs, Mainz: Decaton, 1994-95.
a. Enzo Traverso, Die Marxisten und die jüdische Frage: Geschichte einer Debatte. Preface by Pierre Vidal-Naquet. Translated by Astrid St.-Germain, 1995, 255 pp.
b. Jack Jacobs, Sozialisten und die „jüdische Frage“ nach Marx. Preface by Helga Grebing. Translated by Cornelia Dieckmann, 1994, 239 pp.
c. Edward H. Judge, Ostern in Kischinjew: Anatomie eines Pogroms. Translated by Cornelia Dieckmann, 1995, 159 pp.
Akademos. Revista de studii a facultatii de stiinte umaniste si sociale (University of Arad, Romania),. Member of the editorial board (2004-2006).
Sozial.Geschichte, Hamburg (Quarterly Journal). Responsible for Themenredaktion Osteuropa (Eastern Europe Section) (2004-2007).
Das Argument, Berlin (Bimonthly Journal), Member of the advisory board (Since 2005).
Teaching Experience:
University of Potsdam, Historical Institute:
2008 Antisemitismus und Sozialismus (Anti-Semitism and Socialism). Lecture.
2007-08 Historiker in Umbruchzeiten 1918-1933 (Historians in Times of Change, 1918-1933),
Seminar.
2007-08 Die europäische Arbeiterbewegung der Zwischenkriegszeit 1918-1939 (The European Labor Movement in the Inter-War Period, 1918-1939), Seminar.
2007 Die deutsche Universität 1933-1945: Anhänger und Gegner des Naziregimes (Nazis and
Anti-Nazis in German Universities, 1933-1945), Seminar.
2007 Historie auf Zelluloid: Geschichtsbilder im Kino der DDR und der Sowjetunion.
(History on Celluloid: Historical Images in East German and Soviet Movies), Seminar.
2006-07 Geschichte der europäischen Arbeiterbewegung von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart (History of the European Labor Movement from its Origins to the Present), Lecture.
2006-07 Exil und Nach-Exil: Sozialwissenschaftler zwischen Exil und Nachkriegsdeutschland (Exile and Beyond: Social Scientists Between Exile and Post-War Germany), Graduate Seminar.
2005 The Rise and Fall of the German Democratic Republic in Historical Perspective. Undergraduate Course, Joint Program, University of Potsdam and University of California at Berkeley.
2005 Der Nahost-Konflikt in der internationalen Politik, 1897-Gegenwart (The Middle East Conflict in International Politics, 1897-Present), Lecture.
2004-05 Politik und Kultur in der Weimarer Republik, 1918-1933 (Politics and Culture in the
Weimar Republic, 1918-1993), Graduate Seminar.
2004 Arbeiterbewegung und Antisemitismus in Europa. Von den vierziger Jahren des 19. Jahr-
hunderts bis zur Gegenwart (Labor Movement and Anti-Semitism in Europe: From the
1840s to the Present), Lecture.
2003-04 Geschichtswissenschaft und Politik. Deutsche Historiker in Wendezeiten, 1848-1989
(Historical Profession and Politics: German Historians in Times of Transition, 1848-1989),
Undergraduate Course.
2003-04 Einführung in die Geschichte der europäischen Arbeiterbewegung, 1848-Gegenwart
(History of the European Labor Movement, 1848-Present: An Introduction), Undergraduate
Course.
2002 Deutsche Historiker und Politikwissenschaftler im Exil, 1933-1945 (German Historians
and Political Scientists in Exile, 1933-1945), Undergraduate Course.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem:
2007 The Two Germanies: Problems of Interpretation, 1945-1990. European Forum, Graduate Seminar (November),
Yeshiva University, New York (Yeshiva College / Stern College for Women):
2005-06 HIS 2150: Europe After 1945. Undergraduate Course, Fall & Spring Term.
HIS 4930-36: Modern Anti-Semitism (from the French Revolution to the Holocaust), Undergraduate Course, Fall & Spring Term.
Western Civilization II (Europe 1618-Present), Undergraduate Course, Fall & Spring Term.
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures:
2003 German 697 H: European Labor Movements, 1848-Present, Graduate Seminar, Spring
Term.
German 497 A: Modern Anti-Semitism, 1870s-1945, Undergraduate Course, Spring Term.
Otto Suhr Institute for Political Science, Free University of Berlin:
2001-02 Die Zerstörung der deutschen Republik. Konservative und völkische Strömungen in der Weimarer Republik, 1918-1933 (The Destruction of the German Republic: Conservative and Populist Currents in Weimar Germany, 1918-1933), Undergraduate Course.
1998-99 Weimar – Republik auf Zeit. Demokratische und antidemokratische Politik, 1918-1933 (Weimar – The Temporary Experience: Democratic and anti-Democratic Politics, 1918-1933), Undergraduate Course.
1998 Sozialismus und koloniale Frage. Von der Jahrhundertwende bis zur antikolonialen Emanzipation Mitte der sechziger Jahre (Socialism and Colonial Question: From the Turn of the Century to the anti-Colonial Emancipation in the mid-1960s), Graduate Seminar.
1997-98 Die gespaltene Arbeiterbewegung in der Weimarer Republik (The Divided Labor Movement in the Weimar Republic), Undergraduate Course.
1997 Leo Trotzki in der russisch-sowjetischen Politik und im Exil (Leon Trotsky in Russian-Soviet Politics and in Exile), Graduate Seminar.
1996-97 Die DDR unter Ulbricht, 1949-1961 (The German Democratic Republic under Ulbricht, 1949-1961), Undergraduate Course.
1996 Probleme der europäischen Arbeiterbewegungen der Zwischenkriegszeit (Problems of the European Labor Movement Between the World Wars), Undergraduate Course.
1995-96 Aufstieg und Zerfall der Komintern, 1919-1943 (The Rise and Fall of the Comintern, 1919-1943), Undergraduate Course.
1995-96 Der Antisemitismus und die deutsche Linke nach 1945 (Anti-Semitism and the German Left After 1945), Graduate Seminar.
University of Halle:
1988 Geschichte des modernen Antisemitismus in Europa, 1879-1945 (History of Modern Anti-Semitism in Europe, 1879-1945), Graduate Seminar.
University of Leipzig:
1984-87 Die Komintern und die koloniale Frage, 1919-1943 (The Comintern and the Colonial Question, 1919-1943), Graduate Seminar.
1984-86 Geschichte der Völker Nordafrikas und des Nahen Ostens, 1917-1945 (History of North African and Near Eastern Peoples, 1917-1945), Lecture and Graduate Seminar.
1982-86 Einführung in die Allgemeine Geschichte, 1945-Gegenwart (Introduction to World History, 1945 to the Present), Undergraduate Course.
1979-86 Einführung in die Allgemeine Geschichte, 1917-1945 (Introduction to World History, 1917-1945), Undergraduate Course.
Guest Lectures and Conference Presentations:
Guest Lectures:
Around forty lectures:
- Germany (Humboldt University of Berlin; Free University of Berlin; Technical University of Berlin; University of Magdeburg; Technical University of Dresden; University of Augsburg; University of Göttingen; further institutions).
- United States (Columbia University; Princeton University; Georgetown University; University of Minnesota; University of Massachusetts at Amherst; SUNY at Buffalo; Trinity College Hartford, CT; German Historical Institute, Washington, D.C.).
- United Kingdom (University College, London; King’s College, London; London Polytechnical University; University of Aberdeen).
- France (German Historical Institute, Paris).
- Denmark (Roskilde University).
- Norway (University of Bergen).
Conference Presentations:
Around eighty presentations in Germany, the United States, Britain, France, Israel, Poland, and the Czech Republic (Since 1987).
Academy Membership:
2003 Leibniz-Sozietät, Berlin.
Visiting Professorships:
2008-09 Yeshiva University, New York.
2007 The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
2005-06 Yeshiva University, New York.
2003 University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Fellowships and Scholarships:
2003 DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Teaching Fellowship at Amherst.
2000 Visiting Scholar, Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
2000 Visiting Scholar, German-American Center for Visiting Scholars, Washington, D.C.
1993 Volkswagen Fellowship, King’s College, University of London.
1992-95 Max Planck Foundation Fellowship.
1991 Ford Foundation Scholar (in Cooperation with the Stifterverband für die deutsche Wissenschaft), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.
1979-82 Doktorandenstipendium (Ph.D. Program), University of Leipzig.
Administrative Experience:
Chair and Organizer/Co-organizer of International Conferences:
2007 SUNY Potsdam, NY (The Transformation of Historical Scholarship in Eastern Germany After 1990).
2005: Milwaukee, WI (Annual Conference, German Studies Association, Panel Organizer).
2002: Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin (East German Social Scientists in Unified Germany).
2001: Stuttgart, Germany (Social Democracy and the Socialist Left in the Weimar Republic).
2001: ZZF Potsdam, Germany (German Refugee Historians, 1933-1945).
2001: Washington, D.C. (Annual Conference, German Studies Association, Panel Organizer).
1997: Elgersburg, Germany (The Russian Revolution of 1917).
1996: Berlin (Working Class and Workers’ Movements in the 20th Century).
1995: Wuppertal, Germany (Friedrich Engels After 100 Years).
1993: Wuppertal, Germany (Lenin and Leninism Critically Revisited).
1992: Berlin (Anti-Semitism and the Labor Movement).
Supervision / Department Committees:
Supervision of Ph.D. Theses:
University of Potsdam (Since 2007).
The State University of New York at Buffalo (2004).
Supervision of M.A. Theses:
University of Potsdam (Since 2005).
Free University of Berlin (2000).
University of Leipzig (1984).
Member of Several Department Committees, Free University of Berlin and University of Potsdam (Since 1997).
Other Administrative Activities:
Organizer and co-organizer of teaching and research programs at the University of Potsdam and the Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung.
Member of the History Faculty Board, University of Potsdam.
Membership in Professional Organizations:
Verband der Historiker Deutschlands (German Historical Association).
Verband zur Erforschung der Geschichte der Juden (Association for Research on the History of the Jews).
Gesellschaft für Exilforschung (Society for Exile Research).
Society of the Friends of the Leo Baeck Institute, London.
Other Activities:
Around one hundred newspaper articles.
Manuscript reader and reviewer for several German and Dutch reference journals and publishers (i.e. International Review of Social History, Amsterdam).
Lectures at Bundeszentrale (Federal Office) for Political Education.
Contribution to several radio programs in Germany (Deutschland-Radio; Info-Radio Berlin).
Languages:
German: Native language; English: Fluent; Russian: Good; French: Working Knowledge. I also studied Latin and Arabic.
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