Born in 1935 in Hamm, Westphalia.
Education and professional career
- 1955 : Abitur (A-levels)
- 1955-1961 : Studies (history, French, English) at the universities of Frankfurt am Main, Freiburg im Breisgau, Grenoble
- 1961 : Staatsexamen
- 1962-1963 : Instructor for foreign students in Erlangen-in-Franconia
- 1963-1964 : German teaching assistant at Lycée Louis-le-Grand, Paris
- 1965 : Teaching internship(Studienreferendar) for secondary school teachers
- Assessorexamen
- 1965-1966 : Work in Paris on doctoral thesis
- 1966-1967 : Secondary school lectures in Unna, Westphalia
- Since 1967 : Professor (Akademischer Oberrat) at the Institute of History at the University of Freiburg im Brigau
- 1970 : Dr. Phil.
- 1994-1995 : Visiting Professor at the Collège de France, holder of the annual European Chair