A historian specializing in Modern German and European History, my research and teaching focus on the intricate relationship between the public and private spheres throughout the 20th century, particularly at the intersection of the state, economy, and society. My initial book delved into the contentious history of mass privatization of state assets in post-socialist Eastern Germany during the early 1990s. Currently, my ongoing book project presents a comprehensive and empirically grounded history of private security in 20th-century Germany and Central Europe. My approach encompasses a wide array of sources, ranging from classical references in state archives to media coverage, oral interviews, and material artefacts. I consistently strive to unearth unheard voices "from below" and offer novel perspectives from overlooked areas. Concurrently, I contextualize Germany within its transnational connections and broader global frameworks. I place significant value on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration across a diverse spectrum of fields. Born in East Germany shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, I completed my studies at Ruhr-University Bochum, situated in the former West German "rust belt" region. Over recent years, I held a Postdoc Fellowship at the Institute of Advanced Studies at University College London and a Guest Professorship at the Imre-Kertész-Kolleg at Jena University. In the past year, I have been awarded a John F. Kennedy Memorial Fellow at the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies at Harvard.
