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

„Pekingologie und wissenschaftliche China-Expertise in Deutschland nach 1949: Zur Scharnierfunktion des Sinologen Wolfgang Franke (1912–2007)“
(Lecture at the Berlin State Library as part of the CrossAsia Talk series (November 2024; lecture outline and online participation available at: https://blog.sbb.berlin/termin/crossasia-talks-messingschlager/))

„Neue Praktiken, veränderte Zuschreibungen: Westliche China‐Expertise im Umbruch der frühen 1970er Jahre“ (Conference Hamburg, September 2024)

“Das Fremde deuten und vermitteln: Zur Geschichte von China-Expertise in der Bonner Republik (1949-1990)” (University of Würzburg, June 2024)

„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

„Erfolg durch Förderung” – Interview on Study Funding by Talent Promotion Organizations at the Bundeswehr Universities, August 20, 2024, available at: https://www.hsu-hh.de/erfolg-durch-foerderung-informationen-zu-stipendien-an-der-hsu-unibw-h

“China und die Neuordnung der Welt. Eine Buchbesprechung“ – Discussion with sinologist Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik on China as a great power in the 20th/21st Century, WebTalk ChinaPlus of the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung (September 4th, 2024).

„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

“Experts” in the 20th Century: Between Academia, Public Discourse, and Politics (Hamburg, September 19-20, 2024)
[Interdisciplinary Conference, funded by the Fritz Thyssen Foundation and the Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Hamburg; Conference Report: https://www.hsozkult.de/conferencereport/id/fdkn-150677]

(Peer Review-) Articles and other Papers

Von Besuchsdiplomatie, Sozialistischem Realismus und Eigenwilligkeit: China-Perzeption und China-Deutung des Künstlers Gustav Seitz in der jungen DDR (1950-1953), in: Berliner China-Hefte – Chinese History and Society 56 (2024), pp. 133-156. [Thematic Issue: Zwischen Kooperation und Krisen. Deutsch-chinesische Beziehungen im Kontext globaler Kräfteverschiebungen, edited by Chen Hongjie, Mechthild Leutner, Nele Noesselt] [written in German; title in English: On Diplomatic Visits, Socialist Realism, and Individuality: The Perception and Interpretation of China by the Artist Gustav Seitz in the Early GDR (1950-1953)]

China Competence and China Expertise: Some Conceptual and Analytical Reflections, in: Zeitgeschichte-online, May 2024, available online: https://zeitgeschichte-online.de/themen/china-competence-and-china-expertise.

Gustav Seitz’ „Studienblätter aus China“ (1953). Eine China-Reise und die DDR-Zensur, in: Arbeit – Bewegung – Geschichte. Zeitschrift für historische Studien 2024/II, pp. 105-111. [written in German]

Zur neueren Militärgeschichte Chinas als Forschungsgebiet: Bestandsaufnahme und Perspektiven, in: Militärgeschichtliche Zeitschrift 83/1 (2024), pp. 133-148. [available online: https://doi.org/10.1515/mgzs-2024-0005] [written in German; title in English: Modern Chinese Military History as a Field of Research: Research Status and Perspectives]

German Strategy on China – A Critical Appraisal/ 德国对中国战略的批判性评估, in: ASIEN. The German Journal on Contemporary Asia 166/ 167 (Januar/ April 2023), pp. 141-152. [Secondary Publication]

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

The Sinologist Wolfgang Franke as Researcher and Cultural Broker, in: CrossAsia Thematic Portals of the Berlin State Library (2024), available online: https://themen.crossasia.org/franke/?lang=en, DOI: https://doi.org/10.48796/20240806-000..

„Im Banne Chinas“ – Der Sinologe Wolfgang Franke als Forscher und Mittler, in: CrossAsia Themenportale der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (2024), revised version August 2024, available online: https://themen.crossasia.org/franke/; DOI: https://doi.org/10.48796/20240822-001. [written in German, together with Antje Platzek]

David Armitages Genealogie des Bürgerkriegs: Eine kritische Würdigung, in: Die Friedens-Warte. Journal of International Peace and Organization 96/1-4 (2023), pp. 238-246. [available online: https://biblioscout.net/article/99.140005/fw202301023801] [written in German; title in English: David Armitage’s Genealogy of Civil War: A Critical Appraisal]

Kritik und Reflexion verflochtener Geschichten: Neuere Beiträge zu China und dem Westen in transnationaler Perspektive, in: ASIEN. The German Journal on Contemporary Asia 166/167 (2023), to be published in 2024. [written in German; title in English: Critique and Reflection of Entangled Histories: Recent Contributions on China and the West from a Transnational Perspective]

Ferne Partner ganz nah? – Die Transferbeziehung zwischen Nationalsozialismus und faschistischem Japan am Beispiel der Rezeption japanischer Siedlungspolitik (1933-1945), Konstanz 2018 (MA-thesis).

(Peer Review-) Articles in Chinese

汉学家傅吾康：研究者与中西文化桥梁, 在：柏林国家图书馆，2024年8月, 可访问：https://themen.crossasia.org/franke/?lang=zh-hans，DOI: https://doi.org/10.48796/20240822-000。

德国对中国战略的批判性评估/ German Strategy on China – A Critical Appraisal, 载于: ASIEN. The German Journal on Contemporary Asia 166/ 167 (一月/ 四月2023), 141-152页.

Conference Reports

Conference Report: “Experts” in the 20th Century: Between Academia, Public Discourse, and Politics, in: H-Soz-Kult, October 22nd, 2024, URL: https://www.hsozkult.de/conferencereport/id/fdkn-150677. [together with Paul Schröck]

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, October 21st, 2024, URL: www.hsozkult.de/conferencereport/id/fdkn-139280 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.24405/15183). [written in German]

Review of Books

Jahrzehnt der Zukünfte: China in den 1980er Jahren, in: Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaft 71/10 (2023), pp. 885-888.
[Reviewed Books: 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.] [written in German, title in English: Decade of Futures: China in the 1980s]

Geschichte der Bundeswehr, in: Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaft 71/7-8 (2023), pp. 689-691.
[Reviewed Books: 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.] [written in German, title in English: History of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Germany]

Reviews

[for Neue Politische Literatur, Archiv für Sozialgeschichte, Comparativ. Zeitschrift für Globalgeschichte und vergleichende Gesellschaftsforschung, International Quarterly for Asian Studies, Berliner China-Hefte – Chinese History and Society, Archiv für Kulturgeschichte, Vierteljahrschrift für Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte, Arbeit – Bewegung – Geschichte, Historisch-Politisches Buch, SIRIUS – Zeitschrift für Strategische Analysen, Militärgeschichtliche Zeitschrift und Zeitschrift für Geschichtswissenschaft]

Odd Arne Westad/ Chen, Jian: The Great Transformation: China’s Road from Revolution to Reform, New Haven/ London 2024, in: Neue Politische Literatur, to be published in 2025.

David M. McCourt: The End of Engagement: America’s China and Russia Experts and U.S. Strategy Since 1989, New York 2024, in: Archiv für Sozialgeschichte, to be published in 2025.

Ariane Knüsel, Ralph Weber: Die Schweiz und China. Von den Opiumkriegen bis zur neuen Seidenstraße, Zürich 2024, in: Das Historisch-Politische Buch, to be published in 2025.

Lex Lu, Appearance Politics: Legitimacy Building in Late Imperial and Modern China, Ithaca/ London 2024, in: Berliner China-Hefte – Chinese History and Society, to be published in 2025.

Andreas Fulda: Germany and China. How Entanglement Undermines Freedom, Prosperity and Security, London/ New York/ Oxford 2024, in: SIRIUS – Zeitschrift für Strategische Analysen 8/3 (2024), pp. 337-338. [available online: https://doi.org/10.1515/sirius-2024-3016]

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), pp. 105-106. [available online: https://biblioscout.net/article/99.140005/vswg202401010501]

Daniel Fuchs/ Sascha Klotzbücher/ Andrea Riemenschnitter/ Lena Springer/ Felix Wemheuer (Hg.): Die Zukunft mit China denken, Wien/ Berlin 2023, in: International Quarterly for Asian Studies 55/1 (2024), pp. 125-128. [available online: https://doi.org/10.11588/iqas.2024.1.27045]

Frank Dikötter: China nach Mao. Der Aufstieg zur Supermacht, Stuttgart 2023, in: Militärgeschichtliche Zeitschrift 83/1 (2024), pp. 348-350. [available online: https://doi.org/10.1515/mgzs-2024-0057]

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 34/4-5 (2024), to be published in 2024.

Susanne Weigelin-Schwiedrzik: China und die Neuordnung der Welt, Wien 2024, in: Neue Politische Literatur 69/2 (2024), pp. 327-329, available online: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42520-024-00573-3. [together with Cecilia-Louise von Ilsemann]

Bernd Ziesemer: Maos deutscher Topagent. Wie China die Bundesrepublik eroberte, Frankfurt/ New York 2023, in: Arbeit – Bewegung – Geschichte. Zeitschrift für historische Studien 2024/II, pp. 162-165.

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. [available online: https://doi.org/10.7788/arku.2023.105.2.467]

Daniel Leese/ Ming Shi (Hg.): Chinesisches Denken der Gegenwart. Schlüsseltexte zu Politik und Gesellschaft, München 2023, in: Neue Politische Literatur 69/1 (2024), pp. 138-140. [available online: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42520-023-00535-1]

Timothy Cheek/ Klaus Mühlhahn/ Hans van de Ven (Hg.): 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. [available online: https://elibrary.duncker-humblot.com/article/73602/isabella-m-weber-das-gespenst-der-inflation-wie-china-der-schocktherapie-entkam-aus-dem-englischen-von-stephan-gebauer]

Winter Trimester 2025

The History of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Long 1950s – undergraduate seminar (held in German)

The History of Experts and Intellectuals in the Early Years of the Federal Republic (1949-1969) – seminar (held in German)

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)

Various responsibilities in academic self-governance, including serving as the representative of the non-professorial academic staff on the appointment committee for the succession of Prof. Martina Heßler (2020-2022)

Conference Funding for the symposium “The Crux with Expertise: ‘Experts’ in the 20th Century between Knowledge, Public Discourse, and Politics” (September 2024) totaling 13,200 Euros
– Funding from the Academy of Sciences in Hamburg: 4,750 Euros (as applicant)
– Funding from the Fritz Thyssen Foundation: 8,450 Euros (as co-organizer; applicant: Prof. Marcus M. Payk)

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)