Professor Nadine Rossol
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Email
nrossol@essex.ac.uk -
Location
5B.143, Colchester Campus
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Academic support hours
Spring Term: Thursday 3-4 Friday 4-5
Profile
Biography
I studied History and Italian at the University of St Andrews and wrote my PhD thesis in German History at the University of Limerick where I also had a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship. I taught modules in German and European history in Limerick before I joined the University of Essex in September 2010. I hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Practice and I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Most recently, I have co-edited with Benjamin Ziemann 'The Oxford Handbook of the Weimar Republic (OUP, 2022). The German edition is called 'Aufbruch und Abgründe. Das Handbuch der Weimarer Republik (wbg, 2021). We have outlined some of our ideas on the Weimar Republic and our handbook here: OUP blog 'The Ghosts of Weimar: Is Weimar Germany a warning from history? https://blog.oup.com/2021/12/the-ghosts-of-weimar-is-weimar-germany-a-warning-from-history/ '5 oft vergessene Fakten über die Weimarer Republik' (in German) 5 often forgotten facts about Weimar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBddNwN-t_0 'Zu Gast bei L.I.S.A Wissenschaftsportal der Gerda Henkel Stiftung: Die Weimarer Republik--Der Blick von heute auf damals' (one hour conversation on the Weimar Republic and its perception): https://lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/zugastbeilisa_rossol_ziemann_weimarerrepublik I participated in the podcast 'Eine Stunde History: Weimarer Republik--Der Vertrag von Rapallo' produced by Deutschlandfunk Nova: https://www.deutschlandfunknova.de/beitrag/weimarer-republik-1922-der-vertrag-von-rapallo I am also working on a book examining the role of the police as educator of the population in Germany from the 1920s to the 1950s.Having been awarded an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship, I spent the academic year 2011/2012 in Germany to carry out more research for this project. The Friedrich-Meinecke-Institute at the Free University Berlinserved as host institution formy research stay. www.fu-berlin.de/campusleben/vorgestellt/2011/110921_rossol/index.html BA/ Leverhulme Small Grant, 2015-2017: Writing about a Revolution: Emotions, Agency and Expectations of the German Revolution in 1918 In this project, funded by the British Academy, I explore how ordinary Germans tried to make sense of the revolution, how they formulated new ideas of participation and articulated their demands, hopes or fears in a rapidly changing time period. The sense of living in a time of rupture--rather than continuity--outlived the revolutionary events. These experiences of uncertaibty, change, disappointment but also of challenges, new opportunities, appropriation and hopes do not figure in the examination of long-term results of the revolution. But they are essential to understand how a society dealt with a rupture that fundamentally altered politics and society. Based on this project, I have published an edited source collection of 35 school essays of male teenagers who wrote about their experiences in the German Revolution in November 1918. The book has been published by be.bra Wissenschaft Verlag in 2018. This collection of essays provides insight into how the revolution was written about and interpreted by those youngsters who had experienced it in their hometown Essenas well as by those who had imagined the revolution far from home. Half of the school essays were written by pupils who had participated in a harvest aid scheme in the Pomeranian countryside in October 1918 and on hearing about the revolution, they returned back home.
Research and professional activities
Research interests
German history, especially social and cultural history of Weimar and Nazi Germany
European cultural and urban history
police history
Conferences and presentations
Stärken und Schwächen der Weimarer demokartischen Kultur
Invited presentation, Conference at the TU Chemnitz: Die Weimarer Republik als Ort der Demokratiegeschichte (The Weimar Republic as place for the history of demorcacy), TU Chemnitz, Chemnitz, Germany, 14/6/2029
Die Weimarer Republik und ihre Staedte
Invited presentation, This event on Cologne in the Weimar Republic centres on the publication of an important book on Cologne's history in the 1920s. I have been invited to provide a view on the time going beyond the city of Cologne and to discuss with the author., Stadt Koeln/ Foerderverein der Stadt Koeln, Cologne, Germany, 13/3/2026
Der Hitler Putsch 1923
Invited presentation, November 9: Fragility of German Democracy. 4 academic experts discuss key dates of German history and examine the threats to democracy in the past and now., Historians for a democratic society (hist4dem.de), 9/11/2025
Perspektiven und Forschungsluecken in der Geschichte der Weimarer Republik
Invited presentation, Academic Seminar of the History Faculty at the University of Luzern, University of Luzern, 27/5/2025
Republikanische Alltagskultur in der Provinz
international conference: Regionalmoderne: Zur Weimarer Kultur der Regionen der Republik 1918-1933, FRIAS, University of Freiburg (Germany) supported by DFG and Thyssen Foundation, Freiburg, Germany, 28/3/2025
Weimar und Wir : Panel discussion
Panel discussion with four experts on Weimar Germany and moderated by Prof M. Sabrow (Berlin) due to the exhibition "Gewalt gegen Weimar. (Violence against Weimar)"., Haus der Weimarer Republik, Weimar (Germany), 22/1/2025
Podium discussion: Germany in October 1918 and the Revolution
Invited presentation, Discussion (60 minutes & 30 minutes questions) on the October Reforms 1918 due to the DHM exhibition 'Roads not Taken'.., Deutsches Historisches Museum (DHM) Berlin, Germany, 30/10/2024
Polizei damals und heute: Probleme des staatlichen Gewaltmonopols
Invited presentation, Weimar: Koninuitaeten und politische Gewalt: 4 short papers followed by panel discussion and Q&A, Walther Rathenau Gesellschaft, Freienwalde, Germany, 9/3/2024
Podium discussion on arts, music and culture in Germany in the 1920s and today
Invited presentation, Anything goes--The role of music in society: podium discussion with key international experts on music, history and political sciences moderated by Professor Sheri Berman, Carnegie Hall (education wing), NYC, USA, New York City, United States, 28/2/2024
Policing as Pedagogy: Police and Traffic Education in Germany 1920-1950s
Invited presentation, Research seminar of the University of Halle (Germany), zoom, Institut fuer Erziehung und Historischer Erziehungswissenschaften, University of Halle, Germany, 10/1/2024
Verkehrte Welt? Kultur und Gesellschaft in der Weimarer Republik
Invited presentation, Keynote presentation, AGM of the Historical Association of the Deutsche Bank, Die wilden Zwanziger. Kultur und Wirtschaft zwischen Hyperinflation und Weltwirtschaftskrise, 11/10/2023
Panel discussion on presentism and history
Invited presentation, Discussion on presentism and history organised by Bloomsbury to showcase the online resource Bloomsbury History to which I contributed a written piece, Bloomsbury, online conference, 26/6/2023
Die deutsche Polizei und ihre Rolle als Erzieher, 1920-1950
Invited presentation, Research Seminar, History Department, University of Goettingen (Germany), University of Goettingen, Germany, 11/5/2023
Die Endphase der Weimarer Republik 1930-1933
Invited presentation, Online event on the appointment of A. Hitler in Jan. 1933: 'Die NS-Machtuebernahme aus heutiger Sicht', Bundeszentrale fuer politische Bildung (German Federal Agency of Civic Education), Bonn/Berlin, Germany, 25/1/2023
Die Krise der Demokratie: Gibt es Lehren aus der Weimarer Republik?
Invited presentation, This was a podium discussion and also served as the book presentation of our German edition of the handbook on the Weimar Republic., Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Berlin, Germany. https://www.fes.de/geschichte/veranstaltungen/lehren-aus-der-weimarer-republik, 5/9/2022
Police as Educator? New Perspectives and Challenges in German Police History
Research Seminar, Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Muenster, Germany, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany, 29/6/2022
Sicherheitserwartungen an die Polizei in dern ersten Jahren der Weimarer Republik (Security expectations placed upon the police in the first years of the republic)
Invited presentation, Auf der Suche nach Sicherheit in der Weimarer Republik (Looking for security in the Weimar Republic), University of Jena (funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation), Jena, Germany, 25/9/2021
Weimar as a republican project? Symbolic conflicts, republican identities and a move away from political extremes’
Invited presentation, annual conference of the German History Society, German History Society, London, United Kingdom, 4/9/2019
Weimar then and Weimar now: A democracy in difficult times
Invited presentation, Symposium: 100 Years from the Weimar Constitution: Who are the enemies of democracy today?, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Athens, Greece, 14/3/2019
‘Die Republik schwungvoll feiern…Verfassungsfeste als Teil republikanischer Demokratiekultur in der Weimarer Republik
Invited presentation, Reception by the German Presiden Frank-Walter Steinmeier followed by the academic confence ‘Verfassungkultur in der Weimrarer Republik‘, Gedenkstätte Reichspräsident Frieddrich Ebert,, Gedenkstätte Reichspräsident Frieddrich Ebert, Berlin, Germany, 12/2/2019
Kartoffel, Frost und Spartakus: Essener Schüler zwischen Weltkrieg und Revolution 1918
Invited presentation, History Research Seminar of Prof. Frank Becker, University of Essen, Essen, Germany, 7/1/2019
“We don’t know yet if the revolution brings positive or negative changes”: Expectations and Agency in the German Revolution of 1918
Invited presentation, Conference on the German Revolution, All Souls College, University of Oxford, All Souls College, Oxford, United Kingdom, 9/11/2018
‘Writing about a Revolution: Emotions and Agency of young People in the Germany Revolution 1918-19’
Invited presentation, Conference ‘Living the German Revolution’, German Historical Institute (GHI), London, United Kingdom, 19/10/2018
‘Das Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold als Teil einer republikanischen Demokratiekultur in der Weimarer Republik‘
Invited presentation, Conference on the Reichsbanner schwarz-rot-gold, Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand, Berlin, Germany, 9/6/2018
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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Rebellious Pasts: Challenging and Creating Histories (HR173)
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Revolutions in History, 1776-1919: How to Change the World (HR176)
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Between Protection and Control: Policing Europe in the 20th Century (HR296)
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Metropolis: Urban Germany 1900-1945 (HR390)
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Research Project (HR831)
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Rethinking History: Approaches, Theories and Concepts (HR924)
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Dissertation (HR931)
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Advanced Research Project (HR932)
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Archives and Power (HR949)
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Contemporary Urban Developments (SA102)
Previous supervision
Degree subject: History
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 30/4/2018
Publications
Journal articles (12)
Rossol, N., (2025). Der Tod faehrt durch die Strassen der Staedte! Polizei und Verkehrserziehung im staedtischen Raum Westdeutschlands nach 1945. Geschichte und Region = Storia e regione. 34 (1), 71-92
Rossol, N., (2025). Neubeginn und Kontinuitaeten. Die deutsche Polizei in der Zeitenwende von 1945. Prospect 25. Bulletin der Gesellschaft zur Erforschung der Demokratie-Geschichte. 4, 16-21
Rossol, N., (2024). Gestorben fuer Demokratie und Diktatur. Das Gedenken an getoetete Polizisten in der Weimarer Republik und im Nationalsozialismus. Archiv fuer Polizeigeschichte. 21 (52, 1/2024), 15-29
Rossol, N. and Ziemann, B., (2023). Ausnahmerecht, Gewalt und Selbstgleichschaltung. Die Machtergreifung der NSDAP 1933. Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte (APuZ): Deutschland 1933. 73 (4), 18-25
Rossol, N., (2019). Historisierung oder Popularisierung? Die Revolution 1918/19 zwischen öffentlichem Jubiläum und geschichtswissenschaftlichen Impulsen. Archiv fur Sozialgeschichte (AfS). 59, 347-368
Rossol, N., (2019). Polizei-- als Erziehungsarbeit? Zu einem zentralen Motiv deutscher Polizeiarbeit in der ersten Haelfte des 20. Jahrhunderts. Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte: Polizei. 69 (21-23), 29-35
Rossol, N., (2018). Policing, Traffic Safety Education and Citizenship in post-1945 West Germany. Journal of Contemporary History. 53 (2), 339-360
Rossol, N. and Dunnage, J., (2015). Building Ideological Bridges and Inventing Institutional Traditions: Festivities and Commemorative Rituals in the Fascist and Nazi Police. Crime History and Societies. 19 (1), 67-88
Rossol, N., (2010). Performing the Nation: Sports, Spectacles, and Aesthetics in Germany, 1926–1936. Central European History. 43 (4), 616-638
Rossol, N., (2010). Review Essay: Chancen der Weimarer Republik. Neue Politische Literatur. 55 (3), 393-419
Rossol, N., (2008). Flaggenkrieg am Badestrand. Lokale Möglichkeiten repräsentativer Mitgestaltung in der Weimarer Republik. Zeitschrift Für Geschichtswissenschaft. 56 (7/8), 617-637
Rossol, N., (2008). Weltkrieg und Verfassung als Gründungserzählung der Republik. Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte. 50-51, 13-18
Books (4)
Rossol, N. and Ziemann, B., (2022). The Oxford Handbook of the Weimar Republic. Oxford University Press. 9780198845775
Rossol, N. and Ziemann, B., (2021). Aufbruch und Abgrund Das Handbuch der Weimarer Republik. wbg Academic in Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft (WBG). 3534273753. 9783534273751
Rossol, N., (2018). Kartoffeln, Frost und Spartakus. Weltkriegsende und Revolution 1918/19 in Essener Schüleraufsätzen. be.bra Wissenschaft Verlag. 9783947686100
Rossol, N., (2010). Performing the nation in interwar Germany: Sport, spectacle and political symbolism, 1926-36. Palgrave Macmillan. 9780230274778
Book chapters (18)
Rossol, N., (2025). Revolutionary narratives and the Volksgemeinschaft in National Socialist celebrations. In: Political Outbreaks Against the Liberal Order 1917-1939. Editors: Priorelli, G., Gori, A. and Codera Fuentes, M., . Routledge. 73- 87. 9781032793269
Rossol, N., (2023). Policing and Politics: The Case of Germany. In: Bloomsbury Global History of Crime and Punishment. Editors: Lawrence, P., . Bloomsbury
Rossol, N., (2023). Engaging with Sources: Police Records. In: Bloomsbury History: Theory and Method. Editors: Berger, S., . Bloomsbury
Rossol, N., (2023). Soziale Militarisierung und kultureller Bellizismus. In: Gewalt gegen Weimar. Zerreissproben der fruehen Republik 1918-1923. Editors: Sabrow, M., . Wallstein. 255- 268
Rossol, N. and Ziemann, B., (2022). Introduction. In: Oxford Handbook of the Weimar Republic. Editors: Rossol, N. and Ziemann, B., . Oxford University Press. xviii- 24. 9780198845775
Rossol, N., (2022). Republican Groups, Ideas, and Identities. In: Oxford Handbook of the Weimar Republic. Editors: Rossol, N. and Ziemann, B., . Oxford University Press. 264- 290. 9780198845775
Rossol, N., (2021). "Ein Hoch auf die Republik!" Die Feiern des Verfassungstages in der Weimarer Republik. In: Demokratie versuchen Die Verfassung in der politischen Kultur der Weimarer Republik. Editors: Schumann, D., Gusy, C. and Mühlhausen, W., . V&R. 203- 224. 352531129X. 9783525311295
Rossol, N., (2021). Le celebrazioni della giornata della Costituzione nella Repubblica di Weimar. In: La Repubblica di Weimar democrazia e modernità. Editors: Cornelissen, C. and D'Ottavio, G., . il Mulino. 91- 115. 8815294090. 9788815294098
Rossol, N., (2021). Reichskunstwart Edwin Redslob. In: Haus der Weimarer Republik. Katalog zur Dauerausstellung. 71- 71
Rossol, N., (2019). "Die Abdankung unseres Kaisers hat mich nicht besonders getroffen..." Emotionen, Erwartungen und Teilhabe an der deutschen Revolution 1918/19. In: Zusammenbruch, Aufbruch, Abbruch? Die Novemberrevolution als Ereignis und Erinnerungsort. Editors: Braune, A. and Dreyer, M., . Franz Steiner Verlag. 161- 175
Rossol, N., (2017). Die deutsche Polizei im Wandel der Gesselschaften und politischen Systeme: 'Volkspolizei' von 1918/19 bis in die 1950er-Jahre. In: "Das deutsche Volk und die Politik." Hugo Preuss und der Streit um Sonderwege. Editors: Lehnert, D., . Metropol. 251- 276
Rossol, N., (2015). Spectacular settings for Nazi spectacles: Mass theater in the Third Reich. In: Spectacle. Editors: Creech, J. and Haakenson, TO., . Peter Lang. 157- 186. 9783035306545
Rossol, N., (2015). Incapable of Securing Order? The Prussian Police and the German Revolution 1918/19. In: Germany 1916-23 A Revolution in Context. Editors: Weinhauer, K., McElligott, A. and Heinsohn, K., . Transcript-Verlag. 59- 82. 9783837627343
Rossol, N., (2014). Politische Symbolik bei Massenveranstaltungen des deutchen Sports zwischen den Weltkriegen. In: Die Spiele gehen weiter Profile und Perspektiven der Sportgeschichte. Editors: Becker, F. and Schäfer, R., . Campus. 27- 47. 9783593501697
Rossol, N., (2011). Repräsentationskultur und Verfassungsfeiern der Weimarer Republik. In: Demokratiekultur in Europa: Politische Repräsentation im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert. Editors: Lehnert, D., . Böhlau. 261- 280. 9783412207137
Rossol, N., (2011). Visualising the Republic: State Representation and Public Rituals in Weimar Germany. In: Weimar Culture Revisited. Editors: Williams, JA., . Palgrave Macmillan. 139- 159. 9780230109421
Rossol, N., (2010). Fahne, Adler und Hymne. Kulturpolitische Grundsatzdebatten in der Weimarer Republik. In: Der Reichskunstwart. Kulturpolitik und Staatsinszenierung in Deutschland 1918-1933. Editors: Welzbacher, C., . Weimarer Verlagsgesellschaft. 136- 156
Rossol, N., (2003). Ordinary Police Work? The Anti-Semitic Policy of Cologne's City Police in the Third Reich. In: Conflict and Legality: Policing mid-twentieth Century Europe. Editors: Oram, G., . Francis Boutle. 79- 94. 978-1903427200
Other (7)
Rossol, N., (2025).Blog post Royal Historical Society: Five things we can learn about current English ‘flag wars’ from Germany in the 1920s and 1930s,Royal Historical Society
Rossol, N., (2024).Moderate Modernity. The Newspaper Tempo and the Transformation of Weimar Democracy. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GESCHICHTSWISSENSCHAFT. 72(6)
Rossol, N., (2023).World turned upside down? Culture and Society in the Weimar Republic. Newsletter: Bank and History Historical Review,Historical Association of Deutsche Bank
Rossol, N., (2023).Werbung fuer die Demokratie: Symbole und Staatsfeiern in der Weimarer Republik
Rossol, N., (2014).Commemoration and Cult of the Fallen in Germany post-1918,1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson, issued by Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin 2014-10-08
Rossol, N., (2014).Veterans' Organisations (Germany),1914-1918-online. International Encyclopedia of the First World War, ed. by Ute Daniel, Peter Gatrell, Oliver Janz, Heather Jones, Jennifer Keene, Alan Kramer, and Bill Nasson, issued by Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin 2014-10-08
Rossol, N., (2013).Review Essay: Beyond Law and Order? Police History in Twentieth-Century Europe and the Search for New Perspectives. Contemporary European History. 22(02),Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Grants and funding
2015
Writing about a Revolution, Emotions, Agency and Expectations of German Revolution in 1918
The British Academy
Contact
Academic support hours:
Spring Term: Thursday 3-4 Friday 4-5