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Mathis J Gronau

@mjgronau.bsky.social

77 followers 170 following 68 posts

Historian of European History, 19-20th Century, Migration History. My book "Deutsche Minderheiten in Frankreich und Großbritannien: Im Niemandsland der Identität 1914-1924" will come out in April 2025 with DeGruyter

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Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Jan 9

My book will come out sooner than anticipated! The new date is 27. Januar 2025. That means it's less than 3 weeks away! A big thanks goes out to #DeGruyter for the wonderful collaboration on this project. I hope you find it an interesting and informative read once it comes out! #history

Book cover of Mathis Gronau's book with the title "Deutsche Minderheiten in Frankreich und Großbritannien: Im Niemandsland der Identität zwischen 1914 und 1924". The cover features the image of Hellmuth Felle, an internee, depicting a man looking at a cow behind barbed-wire, asking "Who is the prisoner?"

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Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · 2d

I was just scolded for standing on a freshly mopped floor. Said floor? The pavement outside of a pub. I don't think that has happened to me before.

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Aug 26

My colleague Raphaël Pernoud just published a report of two wonderful conferences (one of which I was lucky enough to attend) about #deindustrialisation. If you were there, enjoy the nostalgia. If you weren't there, get a glimpse into the events!

dessine.hypotheses.org/500

Des membres de DesinEE aux conférences des projets jumeaux DePOT et CONDE

Au mois de juin 2025, deux conférences sur l’histoire de la désindustrialisation ont été organisées par nos confrères des projets de recherche DePOT (Deindustrialization and the Politics of Our Time) ...

dessine.hypotheses.org

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Aug 19

Currently reading up on Joseph Goebbels' for a small project:
"Oh, he was really active in a fraternity? I wonder if that still...yes, it exists. I wonder if they...no, they don't mention him on their website at all."

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Aug 13

Having the same last name as a city is usually just a novelty. When you research the area, however, you suddenly start to see you last name in most interesting contexts:

"Gronau shows strength"
"Gronau takes responsibility"

Is it about me? No. Do I still feel addressed? Weirdly, yes.

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Aug 8

"We are living in a time of deeprooted changes in which a lot—in some cases too much—is expected from us." This quote from 1961 could be a statement about today. I think it can bring solace to know how people in the past also felt overwhelmed by the changes of their times.

There are two texts in this image, both originally in German. The first one is a screenshot that reads the quote from the tweet, the second one, below the first one, reads: Gerd Stork, Yearbook of the Landkreis Borken, 1961, as quoted in the Heimatbrief Borken March 1995, page 4.

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Jul 10

Three articles from #DerSpiegel I came across in my research:

1. German military ships to help with the defense of #Taiwan
2. #Franco-German calls for a joint #European army
3. Local German politicians mobilize against refugee centres

All taken from #DerSpiegel issue 43, 1991.

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Jul 3

100% yes! I experienced both those scenarios within the last month alone

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Jul 2

One of the best things about working with #history is the connectedness of everything. I'm researching #deindustrialisation, and a text I am reading talks about witch trials in 17th century Germany. Yet, the text still fits my research somehow

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Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Jun 13

That's what I love about academia: I am currently reading Andreas Reckwitz' book on loss ("Verlust") and the connections he makes between loss in its current form and modernity are so simple yet so genius. #mindblowfriday

a man with glasses is surrounded by a glowing circle and the website pmitf.com is displayed below him

ALT: a man with glasses is surrounded by a glowing circle and the website pmitf.com is displayed below him

media.tenor.com

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Jun 10

The fact that the #Ruhr valley deals with "eternal costs" of mining will always be fascinating. One of the most populated regions in Europe needs pumps running FOR ETERNITY lest most of the Ruhr valley becomes a PCB-contaminated salt lake district. That's what I call a "Watt willse machen" scenario.

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Jun 6

Is it just me or does this #google result make it look like the NRW State Institute for Schools #qualisnrw is arguing that "a woman is honourable when she is chaste, abstinent until marriage and her sexuality is confined to the marriage"?

This is a screenshot of a google search result. The link is from the official Quality and Support Agency – State Institute for Schools of Northrhine-Westphalia and entitled "What does honour even mean?". It is a link to a PDF, but the short text underneath the title only reads: "A woman is honourable when she is chaste, abstinent until marriage and her sexuality is confined only to her marraige. What is honour in the context of..."

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Jun 5

That feeling when there is a domesday book to read and scrolls available, but doomscrolling hasn't been invented yet.
(Source: Ute Frevert, Emotions in History - Lost and Found, 2011, p. 31)

Just a screenshot of a text that reads: "Closely related to tedium was a general laziness or refusal to work, a temptation that frequently befell the monastic at rest. Another characteristic of acedia was the lack of the desire to read or pray."

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Jun 5

I came across this absolutely gorgeous illustration of "Old French Fairy Tales by Comtesse De Segur" painted by Virginia Frances Sterrett in 1920. An image both timeless and still very 20s. You can find this and other images on the Public Domain Image Archive (pdimagearchive.org/images/f330d...)

colourful, but sombre painting of a night in the forrest, with a blond women in light clothing sleeping at the bottom centre of the image, while a man slightly behind her is sitting next to a tree with his head in his hands. He is more in the shadows than her with his face obfuscated under his long dark hair while her sleeping face is clearly visible. Behind them, you can see trees and hills as well as a dark sky with only a few stars.

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · May 26

Talked to a friend of mine, who excitedly told me about an online platform her teacher told her about. It's about uploading personal documents to make them accessible to researchers: "So normal people can become part of history too!" Data privacy in mind, this is indeed important!

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · May 22

As a former international student (UK), I feel for all those students affected. I can only imagine the stress, uncertainty, fear, and frustration they must be dealing with right now.

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · May 22

Breaking news: The Trump administration revoked Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students, saying it allowed anti-American agitators.

Existing foreign students must transfer or risk losing their legal status, DHS said.

Live updates: Trump administration revokes Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students

Get the latest news on President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the Republican-led Congress.

wapo.st

Reposted by Mathis J Gronau

Emily Herring @emilyherring.bsky.social · Nov 10

Hi new followers. Don't forget to HYDRATE and REST so you can continue to EXPERIENCE existential DREAD

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Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Mar 19

The more I read global news, the more I think of Martin Niemöllers famous quote. It's easy to dismiss oppression when you don't think it will apply to you until it does. And then it'll be too late.

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Mar 14

My good friend Stefan Manz is offering a fully funded PhD opportunity at Aston University on a topic that is very dear to my heart. Check it out, share it, and, if you're interested, feel free to contact him or his colleague Volker Prott: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Refugees and ‘Enemy Aliens’ in Britain, 1914-1923: Between Humanitarianism and Internal Security at Aston University on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Refugees and ‘Enemy Aliens’ in Britain, 1914-1923: Between Humanitarianism and Internal Security at Aston University, listed on FindAPhD.com

www.findaphd.com

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Mar 11

Can the #historians in my feed recommend a good book/article on the domestic service structures during the 19th century? Since it was an era of the 'great men', I am surprised how hard it is to find in-depth studies on the structures that enabled this status.

#askhistorians

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Mar 8

Isn't it calming to know that even in ancient Egypt, they already had to make a miscellaneous section for books they couldn't fit into their section? (Vallejo, Papyrus, p. 133)

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Mar 4

Writing project proposals may be tedious at times, but I found it to be really good practice and inspiring. A big thanks goes out to all #open-access publications that make such endeavours without a university affiliation possible!

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Mar 3

Currently organising the presentation of my book at the @unidue.bsky.social colloquium later this term. I can't wait to present my research again, and I hope many more chance are to come. If you'd like me to talk about 'ethnic' Germans in the UK and France during WWI, feel free to contact me.

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Mar 1

So just to get that right, you argue that in the war that France declared on its own terms thinking they'd win, Germany was the aggressor because they successfully invaded France after said declaration of war?

Mathis J Gronau @mjgronau.bsky.social · Feb 28

I think they took it as "Germany was the aggressor"

Reposted by Mathis J Gronau

Kristin Eichhorn @drkeichhorn.bsky.social · Feb 25

Der PC in meinem Büro war früher bestimmt auch mal exzellent.

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