On Monday we launched our latest special issue. Thanks to @wienerlibrary.bsky.social, Barbara Warnock, and to our panel contributors Professor Heather Jones, Dr Andre Keil, and Dr Rachel Pistol.

#writing problems: When Word marks your first name as an error, but then turns a blind eye on this (I even checked and I did not add it to my custom word list either).

I received a newsletter from thesciencematters(.org) asking me to submit a shortened version of one of my articles. I hadn't heard of them before and could not find much about them outside of their own website. Does anyone in this bubble have more information about them?

I was just scolded for standing on a freshly mopped floor. Said floor? The pavement outside of a pub. I don't think that has happened to me before.

My colleague Raphaël Pernoud just published a report of two wonderful conferences (one of which I was lucky enough to attend) about #deindustrialisation. If you were there, enjoy the nostalgia. If you weren't there, get a glimpse into the events! dessine.hypotheses.org/500

Currently reading up on Joseph Goebbels' for a small project: "Oh, he was really active in a fraternity? I wonder if that still...yes, it exists. I wonder if they...no, they don't mention him on their website at all."

Having the same last name as a city is usually just a novelty. When you research the area, however, you suddenly start to see you last name in most interesting contexts: "Gronau shows strength" "Gronau takes responsibility" Is it about me? No. Do I still feel addressed? Weirdly, yes.

"We are living in a time of deeprooted changes in which a lot—in some cases too much—is expected from us." This quote from 1961 could be a statement about today. I think it can bring solace to know how people in the past also felt overwhelmed by the changes of their times.

Three articles from #DerSpiegel I came across in my research: 1. German military ships to help with the defense of #Taiwan 2. #Franco-German calls for a joint #European army 3. Local German politicians mobilize against refugee centres All taken from #DerSpiegel issue 43, 1991.

One of the best things about working with #history is the connectedness of everything. I'm researching #deindustrialisation, and a text I am reading talks about witch trials in 17th century Germany. Yet, the text still fits my research somehow

That's what I love about academia: I am currently reading Andreas Reckwitz' book on loss ("Verlust") and the connections he makes between loss in its current form and modernity are so simple yet so genius. #mindblowfriday

The fact that the #Ruhr valley deals with "eternal costs" of mining will always be fascinating. One of the most populated regions in Europe needs pumps running FOR ETERNITY lest most of the Ruhr valley becomes a PCB-contaminated salt lake district. That's what I call a "Watt willse machen" scenario.

Is it just me or does this #google result make it look like the NRW State Institute for Schools #qualisnrw is arguing that "a woman is honourable when she is chaste, abstinent until marriage and her sexuality is confined to the marriage"?

That feeling when there is a domesday book to read and scrolls available, but doomscrolling hasn't been invented yet. (Source: Ute Frevert, Emotions in History - Lost and Found, 2011, p. 31)

I came across this absolutely gorgeous illustration of "Old French Fairy Tales by Comtesse De Segur" painted by Virginia Frances Sterrett in 1920. An image both timeless and still very 20s. You can find this and other images on the Public Domain Image Archive (pdimagearchive.org/images/f330d...)

Talked to a friend of mine, who excitedly told me about an online platform her teacher told her about. It's about uploading personal documents to make them accessible to researchers: "So normal people can become part of history too!" Data privacy in mind, this is indeed important!

As a former international student (UK), I feel for all those students affected. I can only imagine the stress, uncertainty, fear, and frustration they must be dealing with right now.

Hi new followers. Don't forget to HYDRATE and REST so you can continue to EXPERIENCE existential DREAD

The more I read global news, the more I think of Martin Niemöllers famous quote. It's easy to dismiss oppression when you don't think it will apply to you until it does. And then it'll be too late.

My good friend Stefan Manz is offering a fully funded PhD opportunity at Aston University on a topic that is very dear to my heart. Check it out, share it, and, if you're interested, feel free to contact him or his colleague Volker Prott: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Can the #historians in my feed recommend a good book/article on the domestic service structures during the 19th century? Since it was an era of the 'great men', I am surprised how hard it is to find in-depth studies on the structures that enabled this status. #askhistorians

Isn't it calming to know that even in ancient Egypt, they already had to make a miscellaneous section for books they couldn't fit into their section? (Vallejo, Papyrus, p. 133)

Writing project proposals may be tedious at times, but I found it to be really good practice and inspiring. A big thanks goes out to all #open-access publications that make such endeavours without a university affiliation possible!

Currently organising the presentation of my book at the @unidue.bsky.social colloquium later this term. I can't wait to present my research again, and I hope many more chance are to come. If you'd like me to talk about 'ethnic' Germans in the UK and France during WWI, feel free to contact me.

Der PC in meinem Büro war früher bestimmt auch mal exzellent.

Every time I read about a "bottom-up" approach, I cannot help but think of that time I mistyped it as "bottoms-up" and become cheer(s)ful

Listening to Simon Parkin's "The Island of extraordinary captives" and comparing it to internment during WWI is, sadly, an argument for "we learn nothing from history"

My book will come out sooner than anticipated! The new date is 27. Januar 2025. That means it's less than 3 weeks away! A big thanks goes out to #DeGruyter for the wonderful collaboration on this project. I hope you find it an interesting and informative read once it comes out! #history

Another timeline point that always comes to mind: The GDR, often portrayed as a short-lived and failed experiment, existed for 41 years. The German Empire, often shrouded in nostalgia (especially on the right), lasted for 48 years.

Watching "Ein Herz und eine Seele - Sylvesterpunsch" is a tradition where I'm from. A comedy show from the seventies that was highly political and inspired from the UK show "Till Death do us Part". Watching Ekel-Alfred (on the right) is a nice reminder that people like this always existed.

History can become more relatable if we put it into perspective, so here is a thought before the year ends: - In 2024, the attacks on 9/11 were as far away as the revolution of 1848 was for people in 1871.

Happy Holidays to all historians and non-historians on BlueSky! May your days be comfy and dry

yes bsky.app/profile/itsm...

The majority of #Germans are in favour of #Syrian refugees staying as long as the situation there has not calmed. As good as those news are, the article switches between "migrant" and "refugees". They overlap, but they certainly aren't fully synoymous. www.zeit.de/gesellschaft...

A quick shout out to the #Hamelin museum for including their history of #WW1 #POW camps in their exhibition. An important topic that's remembered too little in our conception of the war! museumhameln.de/02_exhibitio... #history #internment

Living abroad and moving back often means something will travel back with you. I am happy to have had some British christmas traditions in my suitcase. All I need now are some mince pies 🥲

"Why Are We All So Damn Nostalgic Lately?" The Renaissance romanticised ancient Greek and Roman history; the Romantic movement romanticised the medieval period, and even the Fascists evoked a romanticised past. Nostalgia has been powerful for a loong time.

Just saw this interesting article www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.... What does academic BlueSky think: Does academia outside of the US qualify as a gig economy too?

Reading your own text and finding yourself agreeing with the points you made vs.

Ever since my PhD, as soon as I get sick, I wonder at what level my sickness would qualify me for an #internee exchange in 1915-1917. I am glad I never had to experience internment or war, but the higher the fever gets, the more enticing the thought of a couple of years in a Swiss Spa becomes.

Wonderful routine, do check it out! There seems to be a very fruitful connection between academia and science and I am all here for it!

Gotta love it when students really take the formative feedback on board and the final submission outshines its initially submerged promise! Of course this isn't always the case, but when it clicks, it's... #Feedback #Pedagogy #HigherEd

Last week, I received the first typeset of my book: It really feels different to see your work look like the books you read to write it. Working with #DeGruyter has been absolutely wonderful so far, and my thanks go out to all the people who helped me make this happen. tinyurl.com/NomanslandPub

Whole libraries could be filled with books about #Napoleon or the #FirstWorldWar. Hoewever, there are still a lot of historical topics that remain criminally understudied. Which topic has been treated the worst in your opinion? #history #unseen

I saw an interesting debate surrounding the use of #fiction to predict the future development of #technology. The issue was that fiction is often seen as "predictive". #History has a long tradition of analysing fiction to make assumptions about developments. Maybe there's benefit in a synthesis?

How far will they go?!

With the current debate surrounding the #Jaguar rebranding, I wanted to share what I consider a masterpiece in advertising. How could you not want the finest potatoes, onions, and carrots at cheap prices delivered directly to your home for free? (Source: Londoner Zeitung Hermann, July 1914, p. 15)

Today, I went to the annual institute celebration of the #ISB in Bochum. Mayor of Herne, Frank Dudda held an excellent speech on the Ruhr area's future transformation. As he quoted #AugustBebel: "only those who know the past can understand the present"

Currently writing an abstract, thinking about Jeff Bowersoxs words at the #GHS conference: "Writing is the bread and butter of historians." We as #historians have to be aware of the proliferation of #AI in #writing. Will it just be another tool or will it completely change how we write?

if you make me look up one more thing I swear to god I will thank ypu profusely bc lifelong learning is important and may help to prevent alzheimers