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Papers by Markus Kirchhoff
Simon Dubnow Institute Yearbook / Jahrbuch des Simon-Dubnow-Instituts , 2016
This essay examines, on the one hand, whether reflections on the prevalence of the so-called West... more This essay examines, on the one hand, whether reflections on the prevalence of the so-called Westphalian state system offer a useful analytical perspective within the realm of Jewish Studies. On the other hand, it points to the relevance of particular Jewish cases in the analysis of international relations, international law, and organization in general.
In doing so, it turns to Austrian-American Jewish international lawyer Leo Gross (1903–1990), who is widely acknowledged as having been most influential in bringing attention to that Westphalian international order. Leo Gross’ article "The Peace of Westphalia, 1648–1948," published in 1948 in The American Journal of International Law is deemed to have been the very origin of the parlance of “Westphalia” in academic discourse. Apart from presenting Leo Gross’ biography, this paper offers a close reading of his “Westphalia” article, juxtaposing it with several aspects of the modern political or diplomatic history of the Jews.
In conclusion, it argues that modern political Jewish history, not least because of its diasporic nature, has been shaped most profoundly by the Westphalian system, and should be considered as a striking example of the mechanics of it.
Restitution and Memory. Historical Remembrance and Material Restoration in Europe, ed. by Dan Diner/Gotthart Wunberg, New York/London, 2007
Millions of books of Jewish provenience bear witness to the history of persecution, some even of ... more Millions of books of Jewish provenience bear witness to the history of persecution, some even of the annihilation of their former readers during the Third Reich. Stamps, ex-libris, or other external signs found in these books lead to this conclusion.
This paper describes the robbery and destruction of a previously flourishing books and library culture and the motives of the Nazis to eradicate Jewish memory. In a second part, the author describes the ongoing restitution process of Jewish "lost books," that German public libraries still keep.
Today we feel obliged to uncover these inventories. However, a certain percentage of these books can no longer be restituted because there are either no heirs or persons claiming restitution. These books will continue to remain silent witnesses to Jewish persecution and the Shoa within the publicly accessible sections of libraries.
Science across the European Empires, 1800-1950, ed. by Benedikt Stuchtey, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005
The discipline of Palestine Studies, as described here, was territorial in the narrower and wider... more The discipline of Palestine Studies, as described here, was territorial in the narrower and wider sense. It had a certain 'imperial' tinge, since these researches centred on a non-European area under Ottoman rule. Diplomacy and Europe's 'informal empire' in the Middle East provided the political-historical context for the exploration of Palestine.
The institutionalization of research on Palestine in the last third of the nineteenth century marked a new stage in Western interest in the Holy Land. Any list of such institutions would have to be topped by the Palestine Exploration Fund (PEF), founded in London in 1865. The PEF became a model that led to the founding of a number of similar European and American institutions.
Enzyklopädie jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur, hg. von Dan Diner, Bd. 1, Stuttgart/Weimar, 243–250, 2011
An overview of the genesis, content, and significance of the declaration in which the British gov... more An overview of the genesis, content, and significance of the declaration in which the British government expressed its support to the Zionist movement for the establishment of a Jewish national home in Palestine.
Europe and Palestine 1799-1948: Religion – Politics – Society, ed. by Barbara Haider-Wilson/Dominique Trimbur, Vienna, 2010
In the ethnography of Palestine of the late 19th century - most clearly in British literature - t... more In the ethnography of Palestine of the late 19th century - most clearly in British literature - two perspectives can be identified by means of which the local, i.e. primarily the Arab, population was described and evaluated: a biblical-historical perspective and a political perspective.
The biblical-historical perspective identified the local inhabitants as agents for a better understanding of the topography and ethnography of the Old and New Testaments. The ethnography of the contemporary ethnic group was used to understand the - biblical - history. And vice versa: since contemporary customs and traditions still seemed to correspond to those of the biblical tradition, the Oriental present could be declared as "unchanged". Palestine as "living Pompeii" - this meant that it was a living museum. Consequently, one can speak here of a "custodial position".
But the Europeanization of the Orient and especially of Palestine seemed inevitable to most authors. A "custodian" position was thus opposed by a "modernist" one. This position considered it certain that the "unchangeable" customs and traditions of the Orient had to practically disappear.
The examples cited in this paper suggest that European ethnography of Palestine at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries oscillated between romantic empathy for the idiosyncrasies of the local ethnic groups and revulsion at their renitence.
![Research paper thumbnail of Archäologie [Palästinas/Israels]](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/104187356/thumbnails/1.jpg)
](Enzyklopädie Jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur. Im Auftrag der Sächsischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig herausgegeben von Dan Diner, Stuttgart, Bd. 1, S. 138-145, 2011
Seit dem 19. Jahrhundert gewannen archäologische Forschungen im Vorderen Orient und insbesondere ... more Seit dem 19. Jahrhundert gewannen archäologische Forschungen im Vorderen Orient und insbesondere in Palästina/Israel für die Wahrnehmung der Bibel und des alten Israel zunehmende Bedeutung. Zugleich beeinflussten sie das Selbstverständnis und die Wahrnehmung von Judentum und Juden in der Moderne. Die Archäologie Palästinas blieb bis zum Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts eine Domäne nichtjüdischer, vor allem protestantischer Forscher. Jüdische Gelehrte beteiligten sich zunächst an der Deutung der Ergebnisse; seit der Mandatszeit wurden zunehmend jüdische Archäologen in Palästina tätig. Vor allem aus zionistischer Sicht stellten die archäologischen Befunde eine Bestätigung jüdischer historischer Verwurzelung in Eretz Israel dar.
Europäer in der Levante. Zwischen Politik, Wissenschaft und Religion (19.--20. Jahrhundert), hg. von Dominique Trimbur, München, 2004
In der seit der Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts so beliebten Reihe der Baedeker-Reisehandbücher durfte... more In der seit der Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts so beliebten Reihe der Baedeker-Reisehandbücher durfte ein Band zu Palästina nicht fehlen. Allgemein waren die Baedeker für ihre oft nüchterne Sachlichkeit bekannt. Der Band »Palästina und Syrien« aus dem Jahre 1880 allerdings begann geradezu desillusionierend: Eine Reise nach Palästina und Syrien kann nicht als Touristentour im gewöhnlichen Sinne des Wortes gelten. Die relativ spärlichen Naturschönheiten, welche das Land bietet, lohnen die mit einer solchen Reise verbundenen Beschwerden keineswegs. Der Typus des Orients, wie wir ihn uns in seinem bunten Farbenreichthum vorstellen, ist in Aegypten ausgeprägter, als in Syrien. Ebenso wenig hat man grosse [sie!] Kunstgenüsse zu erwarten [...]'.
Denkströme. Journal der Sächsischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2009
Die Enzyklopädie jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur widmet sich der Erschließung der jüdischen Leben... more Die Enzyklopädie jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur widmet sich der Erschließung der jüdischen Lebenswelten Europas von der Frühen Neuzeit bis zur Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts.
Reviews by Markus Kirchhoff
Journal of East Central European Studies (ZfO), 2022
Conferences organized by Markus Kirchhoff
In recent years a growing number of works have studied the role Jews played in shaping the intern... more In recent years a growing number of works have studied the role Jews played in shaping the international system in the 19th and 20th centuries to defend the rights of Jews in Europe and beyond. Dealing with 'Jewish questions' such as citizenship and emancipation as well as experiences of persecution, this field of research at the same time reflects structures and problems of modern international politics more generally. The Dubnow Institute 2014 annual conference presents fresh studies on this subject matter and seeks to discuss the historiographical and conceptual questions that arise from the 'transnational turn' in modern Jewish history. The papers in the conference will explore topics relating to Jews and European empire, international organization, transnational philanthropy, humanitarian intervention, minority rights, human rights and collective claims.
Simon Dubnow Institute Yearbook / Jahrbuch des Simon-Dubnow-Instituts , 2016
This essay examines, on the one hand, whether reflections on the prevalence of the so-called West... more This essay examines, on the one hand, whether reflections on the prevalence of the so-called Westphalian state system offer a useful analytical perspective within the realm of Jewish Studies. On the other hand, it points to the relevance of particular Jewish cases in the analysis of international relations, international law, and organization in general.
In doing so, it turns to Austrian-American Jewish international lawyer Leo Gross (1903–1990), who is widely acknowledged as having been most influential in bringing attention to that Westphalian international order. Leo Gross’ article "The Peace of Westphalia, 1648–1948," published in 1948 in The American Journal of International Law is deemed to have been the very origin of the parlance of “Westphalia” in academic discourse. Apart from presenting Leo Gross’ biography, this paper offers a close reading of his “Westphalia” article, juxtaposing it with several aspects of the modern political or diplomatic history of the Jews.
In conclusion, it argues that modern political Jewish history, not least because of its diasporic nature, has been shaped most profoundly by the Westphalian system, and should be considered as a striking example of the mechanics of it.
Restitution and Memory. Historical Remembrance and Material Restoration in Europe, ed. by Dan Diner/Gotthart Wunberg, New York/London, 2007
Millions of books of Jewish provenience bear witness to the history of persecution, some even of ... more Millions of books of Jewish provenience bear witness to the history of persecution, some even of the annihilation of their former readers during the Third Reich. Stamps, ex-libris, or other external signs found in these books lead to this conclusion.
This paper describes the robbery and destruction of a previously flourishing books and library culture and the motives of the Nazis to eradicate Jewish memory. In a second part, the author describes the ongoing restitution process of Jewish "lost books," that German public libraries still keep.
Today we feel obliged to uncover these inventories. However, a certain percentage of these books can no longer be restituted because there are either no heirs or persons claiming restitution. These books will continue to remain silent witnesses to Jewish persecution and the Shoa within the publicly accessible sections of libraries.
Science across the European Empires, 1800-1950, ed. by Benedikt Stuchtey, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005
The discipline of Palestine Studies, as described here, was territorial in the narrower and wider... more The discipline of Palestine Studies, as described here, was territorial in the narrower and wider sense. It had a certain 'imperial' tinge, since these researches centred on a non-European area under Ottoman rule. Diplomacy and Europe's 'informal empire' in the Middle East provided the political-historical context for the exploration of Palestine.
The institutionalization of research on Palestine in the last third of the nineteenth century marked a new stage in Western interest in the Holy Land. Any list of such institutions would have to be topped by the Palestine Exploration Fund (PEF), founded in London in 1865. The PEF became a model that led to the founding of a number of similar European and American institutions.
Enzyklopädie jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur, hg. von Dan Diner, Bd. 1, Stuttgart/Weimar, 243–250, 2011
An overview of the genesis, content, and significance of the declaration in which the British gov... more An overview of the genesis, content, and significance of the declaration in which the British government expressed its support to the Zionist movement for the establishment of a Jewish national home in Palestine.
Europe and Palestine 1799-1948: Religion – Politics – Society, ed. by Barbara Haider-Wilson/Dominique Trimbur, Vienna, 2010
In the ethnography of Palestine of the late 19th century - most clearly in British literature - t... more In the ethnography of Palestine of the late 19th century - most clearly in British literature - two perspectives can be identified by means of which the local, i.e. primarily the Arab, population was described and evaluated: a biblical-historical perspective and a political perspective.
The biblical-historical perspective identified the local inhabitants as agents for a better understanding of the topography and ethnography of the Old and New Testaments. The ethnography of the contemporary ethnic group was used to understand the - biblical - history. And vice versa: since contemporary customs and traditions still seemed to correspond to those of the biblical tradition, the Oriental present could be declared as "unchanged". Palestine as "living Pompeii" - this meant that it was a living museum. Consequently, one can speak here of a "custodial position".
But the Europeanization of the Orient and especially of Palestine seemed inevitable to most authors. A "custodian" position was thus opposed by a "modernist" one. This position considered it certain that the "unchangeable" customs and traditions of the Orient had to practically disappear.
The examples cited in this paper suggest that European ethnography of Palestine at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries oscillated between romantic empathy for the idiosyncrasies of the local ethnic groups and revulsion at their renitence.
Enzyklopädie Jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur. Im Auftrag der Sächsischen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig herausgegeben von Dan Diner, Stuttgart, Bd. 1, S. 138-145, 2011
Seit dem 19. Jahrhundert gewannen archäologische Forschungen im Vorderen Orient und insbesondere ... more Seit dem 19. Jahrhundert gewannen archäologische Forschungen im Vorderen Orient und insbesondere in Palästina/Israel für die Wahrnehmung der Bibel und des alten Israel zunehmende Bedeutung. Zugleich beeinflussten sie das Selbstverständnis und die Wahrnehmung von Judentum und Juden in der Moderne. Die Archäologie Palästinas blieb bis zum Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts eine Domäne nichtjüdischer, vor allem protestantischer Forscher. Jüdische Gelehrte beteiligten sich zunächst an der Deutung der Ergebnisse; seit der Mandatszeit wurden zunehmend jüdische Archäologen in Palästina tätig. Vor allem aus zionistischer Sicht stellten die archäologischen Befunde eine Bestätigung jüdischer historischer Verwurzelung in Eretz Israel dar.
Europäer in der Levante. Zwischen Politik, Wissenschaft und Religion (19.--20. Jahrhundert), hg. von Dominique Trimbur, München, 2004
In der seit der Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts so beliebten Reihe der Baedeker-Reisehandbücher durfte... more In der seit der Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts so beliebten Reihe der Baedeker-Reisehandbücher durfte ein Band zu Palästina nicht fehlen. Allgemein waren die Baedeker für ihre oft nüchterne Sachlichkeit bekannt. Der Band »Palästina und Syrien« aus dem Jahre 1880 allerdings begann geradezu desillusionierend: Eine Reise nach Palästina und Syrien kann nicht als Touristentour im gewöhnlichen Sinne des Wortes gelten. Die relativ spärlichen Naturschönheiten, welche das Land bietet, lohnen die mit einer solchen Reise verbundenen Beschwerden keineswegs. Der Typus des Orients, wie wir ihn uns in seinem bunten Farbenreichthum vorstellen, ist in Aegypten ausgeprägter, als in Syrien. Ebenso wenig hat man grosse [sie!] Kunstgenüsse zu erwarten [...]'.
Denkströme. Journal der Sächsischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2009
Die Enzyklopädie jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur widmet sich der Erschließung der jüdischen Leben... more Die Enzyklopädie jüdischer Geschichte und Kultur widmet sich der Erschließung der jüdischen Lebenswelten Europas von der Frühen Neuzeit bis zur Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts.
Journal of East Central European Studies (ZfO), 2022
In recent years a growing number of works have studied the role Jews played in shaping the intern... more In recent years a growing number of works have studied the role Jews played in shaping the international system in the 19th and 20th centuries to defend the rights of Jews in Europe and beyond. Dealing with 'Jewish questions' such as citizenship and emancipation as well as experiences of persecution, this field of research at the same time reflects structures and problems of modern international politics more generally. The Dubnow Institute 2014 annual conference presents fresh studies on this subject matter and seeks to discuss the historiographical and conceptual questions that arise from the 'transnational turn' in modern Jewish history. The papers in the conference will explore topics relating to Jews and European empire, international organization, transnational philanthropy, humanitarian intervention, minority rights, human rights and collective claims.