Friedrich von Raumer

Born in Wörlitz on May 14, 1781, Friedrich von Raumer studied in Berlin, Halle, and Göttingen before beginning his career in law and government service. He later turned toward academic life and became known as one of the early historians to make rigorous, research-based history accessible to general readers.

Raumer taught history at the universities of Breslau and Berlin and wrote widely on European history, politics, and literature. His best-known work is the multi-volume Geschichte der Hohenstaufen und ihrer Zeit (History of the Hohenstaufen and Their Time), and he also published works on the later history of Europe, as well as travel writings drawn from visits to England, Italy, and the United States.

He was active beyond the lecture hall as well, taking part in public and political life and helping promote broader access to learning through public lectures in Berlin. Raumer died in Berlin in June 1873, leaving behind a body of work that linked scholarly history with a broader reading audience.