The Department of History and Cultural Studies

With 19 institutes and over 5,000 students, the Department of History and Cultural Studies is one of the largest departments at Freie Universität Berlin. Its range of disciplines—unique in the German university landscape—spans from antiquity to the present day and geographically from Europe and Africa through the Middle East and East Asia to North America. The department’s leading position in the field of German history and cultural studies is confirmed by the large number of prestigious externally funded projects based here and its consistently excellent ratings in international rankings.

Research structure

History, art history, ancient studies, the Arab world, Judaism, West Asia, and East Asia—the 19 institutes within the department conduct research across a wide range of regions, spanning from antiquity to the present day.

Collaborative Research

Numerous collaborative projects, achievements under the Excellence Initiative, and funding from the European Research Council, the German Research Foundation, and other organizations strengthen our research.

Image Credit: ZODIAC

International research

Our institutes examine transregional and transcultural connections in a wide variety of regions around the world, working in close international collaboration.

Image Credit: FU Berlin

Research approaches with partners in Berlin

The department maintains close ties with university research and with non-university research institutions in Berlin and the surrounding region.

Image Credit: Senatskanzlei - Wissenschaft und Forschung

The Institutes and Academic Units of the Department

Governing bodies of the department

The department is supported collectively by all staff groups—professors, research assistants, students, and academic support staff. They are represented in the governing bodies (Department Council and Dean’s Office) as well as in the committees and commissions, with representation varying by group. The administrative staff support research and teaching through their work in various areas, such as academic programs, exams, and quality assurance.

Dean's Office

The Dean’s Office, consisting of the dean, one associate dean for research and one for academic affairs, and the administrative director, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the department.

Department council

The department's central decision-making body is the Department Council, in which all university groups are represented.

Commissions

Committees have been established on topics such as education, the library, teaching, and the budget. In each case, the various staff groups are represented by elected representatives.

Committees

Various committees, composed of representatives from all staff categories, are responsible for B.A. and M.A. examination matters as well as for doctoral candidates in the department.

Women's and Equal Opportunity Officer

Responsible for providing advice and support on gender equality issues, participating in all hiring processes, and serving as a point of contact for all female faculty members and students in the department regarding gender equality and gender-related matters.

Ombudsmen for good scientific practice

Points of contact for conflict resolution or other questions regarding good scientific practice.

Department administration

The administrative director and staff are responsible for the department’s budget, personnel matters, appointment procedures, as well as the buildings and IT systems.

Office of Academic Affairs

Responsible for, among other things, providing general information about academic programs, ABV, course registration in Campus Management, accepting course credits, and room assignments.

Examination office

Registration for theses, applications for graduation, and requests to the examination committee.

PhD office

Responsible for the registration, conduct, and completion of doctoral programs within the department.

Quality assurance

Conducting evaluations, expert discussions, and other initiatives with the aim of continuously ensuring and improving the quality of academic programs and teaching.

International Office

Responsible for addressing questions from international students, overseeing internationally oriented degree programs, and providing guidance on international applications.

IT for research and administration

The team develops solutions for IT needs in scientific projects and for other complex requests from the research and administrative sectors.

Staff members of the department administration

Services (room management, forms, and more)

Buildings and libraries

The department is housed in two building complexes on the Dahlem campus: the administration and most of the “minor disciplines,” along with the associated “Campus Library,” are located in the new building completed in 2015, known as the “Holzlaube.” History and Art History, along with their shared library, are housed in a modern building at Koserstraße 20. Some institutes and externally funded projects also utilize nearby villas in Dahlem.

Holzlaube (Fabeckstraße 23-25)

In 2015, the Rost- und Silberlaube complex was expanded to include a new building designed by Florian Nagler Architekten to house the minor disciplines: Today, the so-called "Holzlaube" brings together 14 institutes of the Department of History and Cultural Studies under one roof.

Image Credit: Bernd Wannenmacher

Koserstraße 20

The historic institute building on Koserstraße was designed by architect Wassili Luckhardt and opened in 1967. Today, it houses the Friedrich Meinecke Institute (History) and the Department of Art History.

Image Credit: Michael Vallo

Campus library (cultural studies)

In 2015, the campus library (part of the Holzlaube) consolidated the previously separate collections of the "minor disciplines" within the cultural studies.

Image Credit: Stefan Müller-Naumann

Library of history and art history

The joint library located at Koserstraße 20 houses approximately 170,000 volumes on history (from Greco-Roman times to contemporary history) as well as approximately 125,000 volumes covering a wide range of art history topics.

The former institute buildings and the new building – a history of the department’s architecture

The new building for the department ("Holzlaube") replaced a large number of individual villas that had housed the departments of the "minor subjects" for decades. A publication and website showcase these buildings and their history.

Image Credit: Michael Fahrig

Student Café "Holzkopf"

The café in the basement of the Holzlaube is a cozy spot to sit, chat, and read.