Herwig Wolfram (born 14 February 1934) is an Austrian historian who is

Professor Emeritus ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retirement, retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". ...

of Medieval History and Auxiliary Sciences of History at the

University of Vienna The University of Vienna (, ) is a public university, public research university in Vienna, Austria. Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, Duke Rudolph IV in 1365, it is the oldest university in the German-speaking world and among the largest ...

and the former Director of the . He is a leading member of the Vienna School of History, and internationally known for his authoritative works on the history of Austria, the

Goths The Goths were a Germanic people who played a major role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of medieval Europe. They were first reported by Graeco-Roman authors in the 3rd century AD, living north of the Danube in what is ...

, and relationships between the

Germanic peoples The Germanic peoples were tribal groups who lived in Northern Europe in Classical antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. In modern scholarship, they typically include not only the Roman-era ''Germani'' who lived in both ''Germania'' and parts of ...

and the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

Biography

Herwig Wolfram was born in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

, Austria on 14 February 1934. He studied history and

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

at the

since 1952, gaining a Ph.D. there in 1957. He subsequently served as University Assistant at the Institute of History at the University of Vienna (1959–1961) and the (1962–1969). Wolfram gained his habilitation at the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Vienna in 1966. Wolfram was Visiting Professor at the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

from 1968 to 1969, and has subsequently made many visits to the

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. Since 1969, Wolfram was Professor of Medieval History and Auxiliary Sciences of History at the University of Vienna. From 1983 to 2002, Wolfram was also Director of the Institute of Austrian Historical Research. He was since retired from the University of Vienna as

professor emeritus ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retirement, retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". ...

Research

Wolfram is a leading figure in the Vienna School of History.. "Herwig Wolfram, whose writings and teaching in Vienna have dominated Gothic history since the 1970s..." His book ''History of the Goths'' (1979) has been translated into a number of languages and been published in several completely revised editions. It is considered the standard work on the

, and a work of large importance to the study of

in general.. "By now Wolfram's History of the Goths requires no explanation or comment. It has already established itself as a classic... Wolfram has oweverabsorbed, perhaps too uncritically, the controversial thesis of Walter Goffart..." In the more recent editions of this work, Wolfram has adopted some of the controversial theories of Walter Goffart. Wolfram and Heather's books on the Goths are considered the foremost studies on the subject.

Honours and awards

* Member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences * Corresponding member of Monumenta Historica * Corresponding member of the Medieval Academy of America * Austrian Medal for Science and Art (2000) * Cardinal Innitzer Prize (2011) * Corresponding member of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (2015)

Select bibliography

Works in English translation. For a complete list see th
German National Library
*
History of the Goths
',

University of California Press The University of California Press, otherwise known as UC Press, is a publishing house associated with the University of California that engages in academic publishing. It was founded in 1893 to publish scholarly and scientific works by faculty ...

, 1990. *''The Roman Empire and Its Germanic Peoples'', University of California Press, 1997. *''Conrad II, 990-1039: Emperor of Three Kingdoms'', Pennsylvania State University Press, 2006.

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * *

Online

External links

Profile at the University of Vienna website
(in German)

(in German)
Biographical notes
(in German) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wolfram, Herwig 1934 births 20th-century Austrian historians Corresponding Fellows of the Medieval Academy of America Germanic studies scholars Living people Members of the Austrian Academy of Sciences Members of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts Recipients of the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art