Stefan Messingschlager, M.A.

• since 02/2019
  Ph.D. Candidate at the Chair of Modern History, Helmut Schmidt University
  Dissertation project on the History of China-Expertise in the Federal Republic of Germany (1960s-1980s)
• 08/2018-12/2018
  Wissenschaftliche Hilfskraft mit Master-Abschluss am Lehrstuhl für Zeitgeschichte, Fachbereich Geschichte und Soziologie der Universität Konstanz
• 2014-2018
  Master of Arts in History at the University of Konstanz, final grade: 1,1 (“excellent”); field of research: Contemporary History from a global perspective, especially: Entangled History of Fascist Regimes
  Master’s thesis: The Potential and Limits of Transfer within the Axis Alliance: The Nazi German Reception of Japanese Settler Colonialism (1933-1945)
• 2015-2016
  Studies of History and Chinese at Peking University (北京大学) and Archival research in the People’s Republic of China; field of research: History of Contemporary China
• 2010-2014
  Bachelor of Arts at the University of Konstanz, final grade: 1,1 (“excellent”); field of research: Contemporary History of Germany; Major subject: History, Minor subject: Political Science

• History of China-Expertise in the Federal Republic of Germany (1950s to 1990s)
• Sino-Western Relations in the 20th Century as a History of Transfers and Interdependence
• History of China’s Rise Since the 1960s
• 20th Century Transnational Military History
• Methods of Intellectual History and History of Knowledge

China-Expertise, Expertise for China: Sino-German Relations Revisited (1960s-1980s)

This project examines the role of China connoisseurs and China experts during the transformative phase of Western-Chinese relations in the period of the long 1970s by focusing on the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and its relationship to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

The diplomatic rapprochement between the PRC and Western states since the mid-1960s has traditionally been interpreted as the result of strategic foreign policy during the Cold War. This perspective on international relations as an arena of inter-governmental politics, however, remained fixed on the image of a dominantly politically controlled transformation. As important as the role of leading politicians such as Henry Kissinger or Gerhard Schröder undoubtedly may have been, this process was not merely a political-diplomatic project. The approach of my project is therefore to examine the significance of China experts – here understood as publicists, scholars, intellectuals familiar with Chinese conditions – for the development and expansion of inter- and transnational relations. With the help of these influential agents, it is possible to better understand the dynamics and complexity of the transformation during the long 1970s.

The aim of the dissertation project is twofold: Firstly, the case study of German-Chinese relations will be used to trace the role played by selected China connoisseurs such as Klaus Mehnert and China experts from political science, sinology or law in establishing and expanding diplomatic, political, economic and cultural relations, and the extent to which they became mediators. Secondly, it shows how, parallel to this, governments and private economic players recognised the need for distinct expertise on China and how this expertise was structurally built up.

(Conference-)Papers

„Constructing China: On the Discursive Formation of a Rising Power (1950s-1970s)” (Conference Rostock, September 2023)

„Constructing China: Zur diskursiven Formung einer Weltmacht im Wiederaufstieg (1950er-1970er Jahre)“ (Lecture Hamburg, March 2023)

„China-Expertise und Außenpolitik: Akteure, Formen und Modi chinabezogener Politikberatung in der Bundesrepublik (1960er-1990er Jahre)“ (Workshop Hannover, February 2023)

„Blackbox Volksrepublik China? Zur Geschichte der China-Expertise in der Bundesrepublik (1949-heute)“ (Hamburg, November 2022)

„China-Expertise, Expertise for China: Sino-German Relations Revisited (1960s-1980s)” (Colloquium Hongkong, September 2022)

„Überlegungen zu einer Politik- und Wissensgeschichte deutscher China-Expertise (1960er bis 1990er Jahre)“ (Workshop Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes Berlin, June 2022)

„Der politische Wiederaufstieg Chinas und die deutschen China-Kenner (1970-1975)“ (Workshop Helmut-Schmidt-University Hamburg, November 2021)

„Ermächtigung des „schlafenden Riesen“? Der Aufstieg Chinas und die westlichen Intellektuellen (1930er-1980er Jahre)“ (Colloquium Geschichtswissenschaft, Helmut-Schmidt-University Hamburg, Oktober 2021)

„Ermächtigung des „schlafenden Riesen“? Der Aufstieg Chinas und die westlichen Intellektuellen (1930er-1980er Jahre)“ (South German Colloquium, September 2021)

„Revolution Revisited. Heuristic Perspectives on Revolutions as Analytical Category” (Workshop Peking University, February 2016)

„Das Konzept von ‚Erbe und Tradition‘ im Rahmen der systemischen Kommunikation in der DDR – Hintergründe, Implikationen und Folgen eines Paradigmenwechsels“ (Colloquium Modern History University of Konstanz, April 2014)

Interviews and Podcasts

„Webtalk ChinaPlus: Chinesische Stimmen aus der Gegenwart“ – Discussion with journalist and author Shi Ming on contemporary Chinese thought, WebTalk ChinaPlus of the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung (November 27^th, 2023); available online: abrufbar unter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys1wfGwPv0A

„Zur Rolle Europas im geopolitischen Konflikt zwischen den USA und China“ – as Guest on WDR 5 Politikum – Der Meinungspodcast for some reflections on the role of Europe in the geopolitical conflict between the USA and China, URL: https://www.ardaudiothek.de/sendung/wdr-5-politikum/46798088/

„Die deutsche China-Strategie – Spotlight Asia Live“ – as Speaker at the Thinktank Polis 180 for some reflections on German China-Policy (August 9^th, 2023)

„Spionagegefahr: Welches Risiko geht vom “China Scholarship Council” aus?“ – Interview with Marie Illner (web.de) about the Chinese Scholarship Council, URL: https://web.de/magazine/panorama/spionagegefahr-risiko-china-scholarship-council-38502488

“Auslandskorrespondent:innen & Journalismus“ – Reflections on the history of foreign correspondents in the twentieth century, Workshop at Helmut-Schmidt-University (April 28^th, 2023), URL: https://geschichteeuropas.podigee.io/b185-185

„Deutscher China-Kurs – wie viel Wandel ist nötig?“ – as China-Expert on NDR Info „Redezeit“ (April 18th, 2023); URL: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/info/epg/Deutscher-China-Kurs-wie-viel-Wandel-ist-noetig,sendung1341970.html

„Deutsche Chinapolitik: Was ist die richtige Balance?“ – Interview with tagesschau.de; URL: https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/regional/schleswigholstein/ndr-deutsche-chinapolitik-was-ist-die-richtige-balance-100.html

„Sicherheitsbereich – Ein Symbol der Abschottung“ – Interview with NDR-Info (May 7th, 2021) about the planned conversion of Helmut Schmidt University into a military security area, see here

(Peer Review-) Articles and other Papers

Chinese Military History as a Field of Research: Research Status and Perspectives, in: Militärgeschichtliche Zeitschrift 83/1 (2024), to be published in April 2024 [written in German].

Articles and other Papers

Modern Chinese Military History as a Field of Research: Research Status and Perspectives, in: Militärgeschichtliche Zeitschrift 83/1 (2024), pp. 131-146. [written in German]

German Strategy on China – A Critical Appraisal, in: ASIEN. The German Journal on Contemporary Asia, to be published in 2024. [Secondary Publication]

German Strategy on China – A Critical Appraisal, in: SOAS China Institute Blog, February 15^th, 2024, URL: https://blogs.soas.ac.uk/china-institute/2024/02/15/german-strategy-on-china-a-critical-appraisal/ [First Publication]

[together with Antje Platzek] The Sinologist Wolfgang Franke as Researcher and Cultural Broker, in: CrossAsia Thematic Portals of the Berlin State Library (2024), to be published in April 2024.

[together with Antje Platzek] „Im Banne Chinas“ – The Sinologist Wolfgang Franke as Researcher and Cultural Broker, in: CrossAsia Themenportale der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (2024), URL: https://themen.crossasia.org/franke, DOI: https://doi.org/10.48796/20240116-000 [written in German].

David Armitage’s Genealogy of Civil War: A Critical Appraisal, in: Die Friedens-Warte. Journal of International Peace and Organization 96/1-4 (2023), to be published in 2024. [written in German]

China and the World: Critique and Methodological Reflections on Recent Publications, in: ASIEN. The German Journal on Contemporary Asia 166/167 (January/April 2023), to be published in April 2024. [written in German]

The Potential and Limits of Transfer within The Axis Alliance: The Nazi Germany Reception of Japanese Settler Colonialism (1933-1945), Konstanz 2018 [masther’s thesis, written in German].

(Peer Review-) Articles in Chinese

汉学家傅吾康作为中国与西方之间的研究者和文化中介者，在：柏林国家图书馆，2024年4月出版。

德国对中国战略的批判性评估，在：ASIEN. The German Journal on Contemporary Asia 168/169 (七月/ 十月 2023)，2024年出版。

Conference Reports

Conference for Historians: The Historikertag 2023: Nachrichten aus der „anderen“ Welt: Auslandskorrespondent:innen in der Zwischenkriegszeit und im Kalten Krieg, 1922-1991, in: H-Soz-Kult, 21.10.2023, URL: https://www.hsozkult.de/conferencereport/id/fdkn-139280.

Review of Books

Decade of Futures: China in the 1980s, in: Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaft 71/10 (2023), pp. 885-888 [written in German].
[Review of: Julian Gewirtz: Never Turn Back. China and the Forbidden History of the 1980s, Cambridge 2022; lsabella M. Weber: Das Gespenst der Inflation. Wie China der Schocktherapie entkam. Aus dem Englischen von Stefan Gebauer, Berlin 2023; Priscilla Roberts (Hrsg.): Chinese Economic Statecraft from 1978 to 1989. The First Decade of Deng Xiaoping’s Reforms, Singapur 2022; Daniel Leese: Maos langer Schatten. Chinas Umgang mit der Vergangenheit, München 2020.]

History of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Germany, in: Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaft 71/7-8 (2023), pp. 689-691 [written in German].
[Review of: Wilfried von Bredow: Die Bundeswehr. Von der Gründung bis zur Zeitenwende, Berlin 2023; Hauke Friederichs: Spielball der Politik. Eine kurze Geschichte der Bundeswehr, München 2023].

Reviews

[for Journals like Neue Politische Literatur, Comparativ, International Quarterly for Asian Studies, Archiv für Kulturgeschichte, Vierteljahrschrift für Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte, Arbeit – Bewegung – Geschichte, Historisch-Politisches Buch, Militärgeschichtliche Zeitschrift and Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaft]

Fei He: Die Wirtschaftsbeziehungen der BRD mit der VR China. 1949 bis zur chinesischen Reform- und Öffnungspolitik, Basel/ Berlin/ Boston 2024, in: Vierteljahrschrift für Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte 111/1 (2024), to be published in 2024.

Daniel Fuchs/ Sascha Klotzbücher/ Andrea Riemenschnitter/ Lena Springer/ Felix Wemheuer (Ed.): Die Zukunft mit China denken, Wien/ Berlin 2023, in: International Quarterly for Asian Studies 55/2 (2024), to be published in 2024.

Frank Dikötter: China nach Mao. Der Aufstieg zur Supermacht, Stuttgart 2023, in: Militärgeschichtliche Zeitschrift 83/1 (2024), to be published in April 2024.

Katrin Hudey: China in der Literatur der Zwischenkriegszeit. Studien zum deutsch-chinesischen Austausch (1919-1937/39). Mit einer Bibliographie, Berlin/ Boston 2023, in: Comparativ. Zeitschrift für Globalgeschichte und Vergleichende Gesellschaftsforschung 34/1-2, to be published in 2024.

[together with Cecilia-Louise von Ilsemann] Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik: China und die Neuordnung der Welt, in: Neue Politische Literatur 69/2 (2024), to be published in summer 2024.

Bernd Ziesemer: Maos deutscher Topagent. Wie China die Bundesrepublik eroberte, Frankfurt/ New York 2023, in: Arbeit – Bewegung – Geschichte. Zeitschrift für historische Studien 2024/II, to be published in May 2024.

Thomas O. Höllmann: China und die Seidenstraße. Kultur und Geschichte von der frühen Kaiserzeit bis zur Gegenwart (Historische Bibliothek der Gerda Henkel Stiftung), München 2022, in: Archiv für Kulturgeschichte 105/2 (2023), pp. 467-468.

Daniel Leese/ Ming Shi (Ed.): Chinesisches Denken der Gegenwart. Schlüsseltexte zu Politik und Gesellschaft, München 2023, in: Neue Politische Literatur (2023), URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42520-023-00535-1.

Timothy Cheek/ Klaus Mühlhahn/ Hans van de Ven (Ed.): The Chinese Communist Party. A Century in Ten Lives, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2021, in: Arbeit – Bewegung – Geschichte. Zeitschrift für historische Studien 2023/III, pp. 159-161.

Axel Berkofsky: China-GDR Relations from 1949 to 1989. The (Bad) Company You Keep, Cham 2022, in: Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaft 71/5 (2023), pp. 488-490.

Isabella M. Weber: Das Gespenst der Inflation. Wie China der Schocktherapie entkam. Aus dem Englischen von Stephan Gebauer, Berlin 2023, in: Das Historisch-Politische Buch 70/1-4 (2022), pp. 450-451.

Spring Trimester 2024

China Expertise in Germany in the 20th Century – course (held in German)

Writing Global History – course (held in German)

Winter Trimester 2024

War, Civil War and Revolution: On the History of Violence and Military History in China in the 20th Century – seminar (held in German)

From Dictatorship to Democracy. On the history of Germany after 1943 – undergraduate seminar (held in German)

Spring Trimester 2023
Change Through Trade – Trade Through Change? German-Chinese Relations after 1949 – seminar (held in German)

International, Transnational, Global: Writing History Beyond the Nation-State? – course (held in German)

Autumn Trimester 2022

Foreign Relations of the Federal Republic (1949-1990): Agents, Policies, Scopes of Action – Undergraduate seminar (held in German)

China and the West Since the 18th Century: History of a Changing Relationship – seminar (Teaching Cooperation with Dr. Martin Albers, Hamburg).

Winter Trimester 2022
China’s Rise in the 20^th Century – Undergraduate seminar (held in German)

Autumn Trimester 2021
Populism in History and Present – Interdisciplinary Perspectives on a Problem of Contemporary History – Undergraduate seminar (held in German)

Winter Trimester 2021
The Fall of the Weimar Republic – Undergraduate seminar (held in German)

Autumn Trimester 2020
Contested Memories: Politics of History after National Socialism – Seminar (held in German)

Winter Trimester 2020
Berlin and its Nazi past – seminar (held in German)

History in Practice – Writing seminar (held in German)

Autumn Trimester 2019
Between Transfer, Cooperation and Competition: A History of the Axis Alliance – Undergraduate seminar (held in German)

02/2011-03/2018
Scholarship of the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (“Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes”) for the Study of History, Political Science and Chinese at the Universities of Konstanz and Peking (北京大学)

08/2015-08/2016
Scholarship of Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation, the German Academic Scholarship Foundation and Chinese Government Scholarship for a one-year study and research at Peking University (北京大学) in China

2007/2008
Scholarship of the Bavarian Ministry of Education (“Kulturfonds Bayern”) for an 11-month stay in the P.R. China (“Botschafter Bayerns”)

• German Association of Chinese Studies (德語地區漢學協會)
• German Association for Asian Studies
• Association of German Historians
• German Studies Association

Advising federal institutions (since 2022); cf. my entry in the Expertise Directory of the German Association for Asian Studies, available at: http://asienforschung.de/expertiseverzeichnis/

Member of the selection committee of the China-Scholarship-Program of German Academic Scholarship Foundation/ Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Foundation (since 2022)

Member of the selection committee of the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (“Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes”, since 2019)

Head of consultation of ArbeiterKind.de e.V. Hamburg (since 2019)

Founder and head of ApplicAid e.V. Hamburg (since 2020)