Origins & Early Life

Sir Ian Kershaw (born 29 April 1943) is an English historian whose work has chiefly focused on the social history of 20th-century Germany. He is regarded by many as one of the world's foremost experts on Nazi Germany and noted for his biography of Adolf Hitler. Kershaw worked at the University of Sheffield. He has called German historian Martin Broszat an "inspirational mentor" who did much to shape his understanding of Nazi Germany.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Kershaw has served as historical adviser on numerous BBC documentaries, notably The Nazis: A Warning from History and War of the Century. Ian Kershaw was born on 29 April 1943 in Oldham, Lancashire, England, to Joseph Kershaw, a musician, and Alice (Robinson) Kershaw. He was educated at Counthill Grammar School, St Bede's College, Manchester, where he was taught by Father Geoffrey Burke, the University of Liverpool (BA), and Merton College, Oxford (DPhil). He was originally trained as a medievalist but turned to the study of modern German social history in the 1970s. At first, he was mainly concerned with the economic history of Bolton Abbey.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

As a lecturer in medieval history at Manchester, Kershaw learnt German to study the German peasantry...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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