James Retallack named University Professor
Published: March 9, 2020
Historian James Retallack, who has been described as “one of the most profound scholars of Imperial Germany writing in either English or German” has been named a University Professor.
The author of many award-winning books and publications based on decades of archival research, Professor Retallack was one of the first non-German scholars to discover the riches of the Saxon State Archive in Dresden, formerly behind the Iron Curtain.
“Professor Retallack’s research is central to any understanding of German history and speaks to present-day developments on how and when and to what degree political systems are able to democratize under the influence of authoritarian movements, institutions and leaders,” said Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regher.
Retallack has been awarded a Killam Research Fellowship; a John Simon Guggenheim Research Fellowship; and a SSHRC Insight Grant, which supports his current research on German Social Democratic leader August Bebel.
“I’ve always been aware of the mentors that I’ve had, the colleagues that I’ve had and the students who continue to inspire me – undergraduates almost as much as graduates – in my own writing and research,” said Retallack. “I’m very grateful for that.
“I’m very grateful to be a part of U of T now for 33 years.”
