Before and After Nationes: Accounting for Medieval Peoples in Twenty-First-Century Germany
Len Scales
Writing in 1933, Eckart Kehr remarked that ‘German historical scholarship has since the middle of nineteenth century reflected [contemporary German] political-social situation almost exactly’. 1 The medievalist reading these words will think at once Kaiserzeit —the glory-days medieval western emperorship between tenth and thirteenth centuries—as central theme a protracted modern historiography power. politicized study Germany’s ‘time emperors’ had begun Vormärz , gathered strength unification era, supplied legitimation for successive German imperialisms, before sinking precipitately 1945. 2 What allowed remote imperial age repeatedly to be appropriated contemporary ends was conviction it deutsche : an era which, uniquely among peoples Europe, Germans (whether their own long-term benefit or not) gained rule Christendom, come thereby know themselves as Germans. It with aim stimulating national renewal that, four years after Peace Vienna, Freiherr vom Stein founded Monumenta Germaniae Historica ( MGH ), publish sources history but particularly Empire. ‘Sacred love Fatherland’ inscribed on banners academic medievalism from start. 3
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