Ernst Wangermann was born on 22 January 1925 in Vienna, where he spent his childhood and early youth before his family was forced to emigrate to Great Britain in 1939. Wangermann was able to maintain his native language as well as his deep emotional attachment to his Austrian homeland during his time in England, which played an essential role in his later career as a historian. Inspired by the distinct intellectual environment during his studies at the University of Oxford, Ernst Wangermann decided to select an area of research that would ultimately become his life’s work, Austrian Enlightened Absolutism. Wangermann went on to teach for several decades at the University of Leeds. In 1984, after a long-awaited return to Austria after, he agreed to take up a position at the University of Salzburg.

It is impossible to imagine the historiography of the Habsburg Monarchy in the eighteenth century without Ernst Wangermann’s crucial contributions to the topic. The range of Wangermann’s major book publications and numerous essays on the Age of Austrian Enlightenment spans from his first major work, “From Joseph II to the Jacobin Trials” (1959), to his brilliant study “Die Waffen der Publizität. Zum Funktionswandel der politischen Literatur unter Joseph II”, published in 2004. Ernst Wangermann’s research was generally based on a positive view of the world. He was firmly convinced that the radical thinking of the Austrian Enlightenment – despite its political failure – was essential for Austria’s path to modernity in the long run.

In the true British tradition, Ernst Wangermann’s commitment to teaching was characterised by his attentiveness and close supervision. Even after his retirement, his lectures were very popular among students.

In memory of our colleague, we would like to draw your attention to his last lecture, which is available to watch  on UniTV.

The Department of History will always cherish memories of their former colleague. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his family.