Aus der Geschichte des Historischen Seminars der Universität Basel

Basel's historiography between historicism, innovation, and national conservatism. The University of Basel, the oldest university in Switzerland, has had a chair in history since 1659 and a Historical Seminar since 1887. From a history of knowledge perspective, the focal theme of BZGA 113 addresses the history of the Historical Seminar. The contributions shed light on the development of the discipline, particularly in the early 20th century, and interpret it against the backdrop of urban history, national history, and other relevant interpretive frameworks. They explore how this historical context influenced Basel's historiography and how its representatives acted not only academically but also politically. Guy P. Marchal describes the development of the chair in history and the later Historical Seminar from the late 18th century to the present day in his extensive contribution. The focus is on the professional and institutional self-understanding of the chair holders. Contributions by Christian Simon and Hermann Wichers concentrate on the early 20th century, when the Historical Seminar underwent a significant professional and personnel transformation between 1915 and 1935, leading to long-term structural changes. Christian Simon examines the professorships of Hermann Bächtold and Emil Dürr, analyzing the transition of Basel's historiography from 19th-century historicism to national conservative approaches in the context of the intellectual defense of the nation in the 1930s. Hermann Wichers analyzes the generation following Bächtold and Dürr, particularly the professional and academic policy debates surrounding the appointments of Werner Kaegi and Edgar Bonjour in 1935. These four historians each embody a unique blend of methodologically and theoretically innovative orientation while simultaneously being politically conservative.