A Note on Historical Linguistics and Marc Bloch's Comparative Method
Lawrence D. Walker
When France took Alsace back from Germany after World War I the French found that they had inherited a fine German university at Strasbourg. They set about to transform institution into great with faculty of letters second only University Paris.1 To end Lucien Febvre was appointed chair modern history and Marc Bloch medieval.2 Both been interested in Henri Berr's Revue de synthese historique now Strasbourg there constant interchange between two scholars. The doors their seminars were open professors, ideas, students passed freely forth.3 After first experience excessive specialization (in 1920s department seven Institutes eight professors) Faculty got together one another administration talks which conducted spirit cooperation, creating genuine community letters.4 If or question, advice available first-rate linguists scholars archaeology, liturgy, theology.5 Charles Blondel, social psychologist, wrote his Introduction la psychologie collective there. In this rich intellectual environment developed gifts. 1929, having grown beyond rather fuzzy but important attempts Berr,6 founded new journal, Annales, become famous for promoting sort history, turning emphasis upon criticism documents Ecole des Chartres brought
History and Theory