Karsten Ruppert

Karsten Ruppert

Professor for Modern History

Born on December 14, 1946 in Bad Bergzabern (Palatinate, Germany), Karsten Ruppert attended elementary school in the Palatinate, and received the Abitur (Diploma) in Koblenz (Rhineland). After studying law for one semester in 1966 / 67 at the University of Bonn (Rhineland) he changed his majors to history, German literature, philosophy and education in 1967. In April 1970 he passed the examination in philosophy and education (Allgemeine Prüfung in Philosophie und Pädagogik) and in June 1972 the examination in history and German literature (Erste Philologische Staatsprüfung).

From 1972 to 1977 he was scholar at the "Vereinigung zur Erforschung der neueren Geschichte" (Research Institute in Modern history) at Bonn. While working at this Institute he published sources relating to the Peace of Westphalia 1648 and finished his dissertation on the Imperial Policy at the Westphalian Peace Conference, 1643 - 1648 (,,Die kaiserliche Friedenspolitik auf dem Westfälischen Friedenskongress 1643 -1648").

Thereon he was researcher and instructor in the Department of Constitutional and Administrative History at the postgraduate University of Administrative Sciences at Speyer (Palatinate) in March 1978. There he was engaged in studying the history of German constitution and administration in the 19th and 20th centuries.

From February 1987 to March 1988 he directed a project of the German Parliament (Bundestag) to trace the fates of the Weimar parliamentary representatives (Reichstagsabgeordnete) during the Nazi era. Thereafter he pursued a course in library science and successfully completed the examination in 1900.

In May 1990 he qualified for teaching and researching modern history at the university level (Habilitation) at the University of Karlsruhe (Baden). From 1990 – 1995 he was Representative Professor for Modern History at different Universities. Since 1995 he is Holder of the Chair for Modern and Contemporary History at the University of Eichstaett (Bavaria).He retired in 2012. Since 2011 he directs a project on the revolutionary executive (Provisorische Zentralgewalt ) in the German Revolution of 1848 / 49.

Ruppert’ s teaching and research interests are Political Catholicism in the 19th and 20th century; Constitutional and Administrative History; History of political Parties and Parliamentarism in Germany; American Foreign Policy in the 20th century; Thirty Years War and Peace of Westphalia.