Ongoing (Current) Projects

Between art protection and art theft: The Trier art historian and Nazi official Hermann Bunjes (1911–1945) on trial
(Stephan Laux / Carsten Fischer)

In the context of Nazi art looting and Allied restitution policies after 1945, art historians sought to establish themselves as key players at the intersection of scholarship, administration, and politics. One of them was the art historian and Nazi official Hermann Bunjes (1911–1945). Bunjes, who was initially active in the Trier region, became deeply involved in the systematic cataloguing, relocation, and appropriation of European cultural assets during the German occupation of France. His activities exemplify the ambivalence of occupation policy, which, under the guise of state-organized “art protection” and a demonstrative adherence to scholarly standards, in fact carried out systematic expropriation and organized art theft. At the same token, the case of Hermann Bunjes sheds light on the profound legal and administrative upheavals of the immediate post-war period, during which issues of guilt, responsibility and restitution were re-examined under the auspices of changing regimes. [more]

Research Group “Aschkenas in neuen Lebenswelten”  (Stephan Laux – Spokesperson)

[“Ashkenaz in New Living Worlds”]
On December 12, 2024, the German Research Foundation (DFG) approved the funding of the research group (FOR) 5663 “Ashkenaz in New Living Worlds. Actors, Practices, and Spaces in the Jewish History of Central Europe during the 15th and 16th Centuries”, based in Trier and led by Professor Dr. Stephan Laux (University of Trier), with a grant of approximately 2.5 million euros.
The project begins with the historical fact that from around 1390, Jews in Central Europe—known as Ashkenazim—were subject to widespread expulsions over a period of roughly 200 years. This era is now being examined over four years through six sub-projects from the disciplines of History, Jewish Studies, and Digital Humanities. Participating institutions include the Universities of Trier and Münster as well as the Ludwig Steinheim Institute in Essen. A second funding phase is planned. [more]

„Extra muros, intra muros“ (Stephan Laux)

As part of the research group “Aschkenas in neuen Lebenswelten” (see above), sub-project no. 3 addresses the question of the legal and practical conditions under which Jews were granted access to imperial and autonomous cities in the Holy Roman Empire after their expulsions in the late Middle Ages. Working title: “Extra muros, intra muros: Regulations of Jewish Access to Imperial and Autonomous Cities in the Early Modern Period between Norm and Practice”. Although the project must necessarily focus on a selected number of cities and apply varying degrees of empirical depth, it will be the first to attempt a systematic analysis of this topic. [more]

Collapse of the Walls and Modernity: The Dismantling of City Fortifications in the 19th Century (Stephan Laux)

In the 19th century—especially during its second half—a large number of German cities dismantled their fortifications, primarily city walls and gates. This transformation represents a significant—perhaps the most significant—“change in form” (W. Conze) in the history of urban development. It had concrete implications in urban planning, infrastructure, law, and notably, in social structures. The often-controversial perception of these sweeping changes reflects the ways in which actors and local publics understood both the past and the future. [more]