Vera Kallenberg

VITA

Biografie

Vera Kallenberg is a postdoctoral researcher, associated with the École des hautes études en sciences sociales Paris and the Zentrum Jüdische Studien Berlin-Brandenburg. She gained her PhD in history from the Technical University Darmstadt and the École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS) Paris in 2016 as part of a Franco-German bi-national doctoral program (“Co-tutelle”). During her doctorate, she was a member of the German-French research school ‘Constructing difference’ (offered by the Humboldt University Berlin, the EHESS Paris, and the CMB Berlin), and part of the research cluster „Jews within the pluralistic legal culture of the Holy Roman Empire“ at the Max-Planck-Institute for European legal History in Frankfurt Main. She has received funding and scholarships from the Max-Planck-Society, the Franco-German University, the German Academic Exchange Service, the German National Academic Foundation, and the Foundation for the Memory of the Holocaust. Her doctoral thesis entitled “Extremely Common – Jews before the Frankfurt Penal Court, 1780-1814” (with the distinction “summa cum laude”) explores, systematically and praxeologically by way of qualitative analysis, the treatment of Jews by, and their agency within, Christian authoritarian criminal jurisdiction at the turn of the 19th century. Her current research interests are Jewish Intellectual History (Hannah Arendt, Léon Poliakov) and the history of Jewish Historiography in the 20th century (especially the history of anti-Semitism historiography and early Holocaust research).;

Vera Kallenberg is a young scholar (post doc )in History associated with the Centre Marc Bloch and the ZJS (Zentrum Jüdische Studien Berlin-Brandenburg). She has received funding and scholarships from the Max-Planck-Society, the Franco-German University, the German Academic Exchange Service, the German National Academic Foundation and the Foundation for the Memory of the Holocaust Paris. Her main fields of research are European and German Jewish History (especially legal history, everyday history, gender history since the 18th century), intellectual history (Léon Poliakov, Hannah Arendt), and early Holocaust research.  ;

Vera Kallenberg is a young scholar (post doc )in History associated with the Centre Marc Bloch and the ZJS (Zentrum Jüdische Studien Berlin-Brandenburg). She has received funding and scholarships from the Max-Planck-Society, the Franco-German University, the German Academic Exchange Service, the German National Academic Foundation and the Foundation for the Memory of the Holocaust Paris. Her main fields of research are European and German Jewish History (especially legal history, everyday history, gender history since the 18th century), intellectual history (Léon Poliakov, Hannah Arendt), and early Holocaust research.  

Zusammenfassung

Das Dissertationsprojekt erforscht − erstmals systematisch und praxeologisch anhand einer qualitativen Analyse Frankfurter Kriminalakten – die Behandlung und Agency von Jüdinnen und Juden in der christlich-obrigkeitlichen Strafgerichtsbarkeit im Übergang vom 18. zum 19. Jahrhundert. Dabei nimmt die Studie sowohl die Kriminalisierung von Juden* in Strafrecht und Policeyrecht sowie der ‚Judengesetzgebung‘ als auch die Justizpraxis zwischen 1780 und 1814 in den Blick. Um den Auswirkungen der ambivalenten Stellung der Juden in Straf- und Policeyrecht in der Justizpraxis nachzugehen, wurde – angesichts der Quellenlage nach 1806 und weil Veränderungen zwischen 1780 und 1814 vor allem im diskursiven Aushandlungsprozess der Akteure sichtbar werden –, auf ausgewählte qualitative Mikroanalysen zurückgegriffen. Diese werden mit Hilfe eine quantitativen Analyse und qualitativ analysierter Fallbeispiele situiert. Im Zentrum der Arbeit stehen die Konfliktfelder „jüdische Männlichkeit(en), Ehre und Gewalt“ sowie „Geschlechter-, Gesindeverhältnisse und jüdische Häuser“, die anhand der Mikroanalysen ausgeleuchtet werden. Im Rahmen von sechs Fallstudien analysiere ich, wie es dazu kam, dass jüdische Frauen und Männer vor Gericht kamen oder gingen, wie sie dort auftraten, welche Argumente die Juristen bemühten und welchen Hintergrund ihre Strafbeimessung hatte. Dabei kann ich zeigen, wie juridische Verfahren und strafrechtlich relevante Faktoren mit dem Agieren und dem sozial-rechtlichen Status der jeweiligen jüdischen Delinquenten* zusammenwirkten und welche Rolle es für ihre Behandlung und Agency vor Gericht spielte, dass es sich um Jüdinnen und Juden handelte. Insgesamt verfolgt die Dissertation eine dreifache Zielsetzung. Erstens leistet die Analyse der Frankfurter Strafjustiz in Bezug auf Juden* einen Beitrag zu einer Geschichte jüdischer Delinquenz um 1800. Zweitens lote ich die Kriminalakten für eine Alltags-, Kultur- und Geschlechtergeschichte der Frankfurter Juden um 1800 aus. Drittens geht es um die Art und Weise des Erzählens dieser Geschichte(n) selbst. Konzipiert ist die Arbeit als multiperspektivische Verflechtungsgeschichte, die sowohl Begegnungen und Interaktionen zwischen jüdischen und nichtjüdischen Akteure* als auch innerjüdische Beziehungen analysiert. Schlagwörter: Deutsch-jüdische Geschichte, 18. Jahrhundert, 19. Jahrhundert, Altes Reich, Reichsstadt Frankfurt, Dalbergstaaten, Primatialstaat, Großherzogtum Frankfurt, Strafrechtsgeschichte, Geschichte der Strafgerichtsbarkeit, historische Kriminalitätsforschung, Policey, Strafrecht, Judengesetzgebung, Strafjustiz, Strafgerichtsbarkeit, Strafgericht, Justizpraxis, Strafpraxis, Delinquenz, Devianz, Juden, Jüdinnen, Behandlung, Agency, Fallstudien, Mikroanalyse, Mikrogeschichte, qualitative Analyse, quantitative Analyse, jüdische Haushalte, Geschlechterverhältnisse, Gesinde, Ehre, Gewalt, Eigentumsdelinquenz, Gewaltdelinquenz, Gender Studies, Intersektionalitätsforschung, Alltagsgeschichte, Kulturgeschichte.;

La thèse explore – pour la première fois de manière systématique et praxéologique à l’aide d’une analyse qualitative des dossiers judiciaires francfortois – le traitement des Juives et des Juifs par la juridiction pénale des autorités chrétiennes ainsi que leur agentivité au tournant du 19ème siècle. L’étude s’intéresse à la fois à la criminalisation des Juifs* par la législation pénale, le droit de l’ordre (‘Policeyrecht’) et la loi sur les Juifs (‘Judengesetzgebung’), et à la pratique de la justice entre 1780 et 1814. Ont été privilégiées des micro-analyses qualitatives afin d’étudier les conséquences, dans la pratique judiciaire, du statut ambivalent des Juifs dans le droit pénal et dans le droit de l’ordre - compte tenu de la situation des sources après 1806 et des changements entre 1780 et 1814, repérables tout particulièrement dans le processus discursif de négociation des acteurs. Ces conséquences sont mises en évidence par une analyse quantitative et des études qualitatives de cas. Au cœur de ce travail se situent les zones de conflit « masculinité(s) juive(s), ‘honneur’ et violence » ainsi que « genre, rapports dans les ménages et foyers juifs » qu’éclairent ces micro-analyses. J’analyse, à travers six études de cas, pour quelles raisons hommes et femmes juifs passaient devant le tribunal ou le saisissaient, comment ils et elles se comportaient, quels arguments étaient mobilisés par les juristes et quelle logique présidait à la fixation des peines. Ainsi, je peux montrer comment les procédures juridiques et les facteurs pénaux pertinents interagissaient avec l’action et le statut socio-juridique des délinquants juifs* respectifs et comment le fait qu’ils fussent juifs* influait sur leur traitement et leur agentivité au tribunal. Dans l’ensemble, la thèse poursuit un triple objectif. Premièrement, l’analyse de la justice pénale de Francfort par rapport aux Juifs* permet d’écrire une histoire de la délinquance juive autour de 1800. Deuxièmement, les casiers judiciaires se révèlent une source précieuse contribuant à une histoire du quotidien, une histoire culturelle ainsi qu’à une histoire du genre des Juifs* de Francfort à partir de 1800. Troisièmement, la thèse s’intéresse également à la façon dont cette/ces histoire(s) est/sont racontée/s. Ce travail est conçu comme une histoire croisée aux multiples perspectives qui analyse tant les rencontres et interactions entre les acteurs juifs et non-juifs* que les relations intra-juives. Mots clés : Histoire judéo-allemande, 18ème siècle, 19ème siècle, Saint-Empire romain germanique, Ville libre de Francfort dans l’Empire, Grand-duché de Francfort, histoire du droit pénal, histoire de la juridiction criminelle, histoire de la criminalité, Policey, législation pénale, le droit de l’ordre (Policeyrecht), la loi sur les Juifs (Judengesetzgebung), pratique pénal, pratique de la justice, délinquance juive, déviance, Juifs, Juives, traitement, agentivité, masculinité(s) juive(s), honneur, violence, genre, rapports dans les ménages et foyers juifs, micro-analyses, études de cas, microhistoire, analyse qualitative, analyse quantitative, délinquance contre la propriété, études de Genre, Intersectionnalité, histoire du quotidien, histoire culturelle.;

For the first time in the field, this dissertation explores, systematically and praxeologically by way of qualitative analysis, the treatment of Jews by and their agency within Christian authoritarian criminal jurisdiction at the turn of the 19th century. The study looks at the criminalization of Jews within penal and regulatory law (Policeyrecht) as well as within specific legislation pertaining to Jews and judicial praxis between 1780 und 1814. Due to a decreased body of source material after 1806 and due to the fact that shifts between 1780 and 1814 are particularly visible within agent’s discursive negotiation processes, I drew on microanalyses of selected cases in order to trace the ambivalent status of Jews in penal and regulatory law (Policeyrecht) within judiciary praxis. Drawing on quantitative analyses and qualitatively analyzed case studies I contextualize these cases. The project focuses on the two following areas of conflict: “Jewish maleness(es), honour, and violence” and “gender, menial relations and Jewish households”, and illuminates them with the aid of microanalyses. Analyzing six case studies I elaborate on how Jewish women and men came before, or went to court, how they acted there, and along which lines lawyers and judges made their cases and assessed penalties. In so doing, I exhibit the interplay between penal law, juridical factors and the respective offender’s actions and social status, particularly their being Jewish, and the impact this had on their treatment and agency in court. The project has three main ambitions: One is an analysis of Frankfurtian criminal justice and a contribution to the history of Jewish delinquency around 1800. Another lies in exploring criminal records/files with regard to a history of Jewish everyday and cultural life as well as gender relations in Frankfurt around 1800. The third is a reflection on the way of narration of this kind of (hi)story. This thesis is conceived as a multi-perspective narrative on interwoven relations, analyzing both inner-Jewish encounters and those between Jewish and non-Jewish actors. Key words: German-Jewish history, 18th century, 19th century, Germany, Holy Roman Empire, Frankfurt, imperial city Frankfurt, principality of Frankfurt, Grand Duchy of Frankfurt, history of criminal law, history of criminal justice, penal law, regulatory law, criminal jurisdiction, judiciary praxis, delinquency, deviance, Jews, treatment, agency, microanalysis, microhistory, qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis, Jewish households, Gender relations, Menial relations, honor, violence, property delinquency, Gender Studies, everyday history, cultural history.

Mutterinstitut:

Vanderbilt University, department for germanic and slavic languages

Forschung

Forschungsthemen

Léon Poliakov (1910-1997) – an intellectual history. My postdoctoral project analyses the life and work of Jewish-Russian French historian Léon Poliakov (1910-1997). I thereby focus on the production, development, presentation, and reflection of knowledge about the Shoah, anti-Semitism, and racism between 1945 and the 1990s. By doing so, I follow recent research approaches analyzing the beginnings of Holocaust research, and the relationship between historiography and the Shoah. My research project aims to provide a study combining the history of knowledge and the history of experience. Its main sources are the totality of Poliakov’s printed scientific and publicist work, his private papers which have not yet been analyzed, in addition to other archival sources. The goal of my research project is to write an intellectual history analyzing the interaction of practice, movement of thinking, and knowledge production, and to situate this interaction within the academy and society. Research areas and interests Jewish Intellectual History History of Jewish historiography (20th century) Early Holocaust Research History of anti-Semitism historiography European History from 1700 (especially Gender-, Cultural- and Everyday history) Legal History;

"JEWS IN FRANKFURT PENAL JUSTICE AROUND 1800"/ "EXTREM ALLTÄGLICH: JÜDINNEN UND JUDEN IN DER FRANKFURTER STRAFJUSTIZ UM 1800.” In my PhD project, I analyze the treatment of Jewish women and men in the Christian-governmental authorities’ dispensation of penal justice at the turn of the 18th to the 19th century. I thereby look at the differences between Jewish people in terms of their agency (courses of action). I am also interested in possible changes in the treatment of Jewish men and women and changes in their own procedures in this period of accelerated political, social and cultural progress between 1779 and 1814. My sources are records of criminal proceedings of the Peinliches Verhöramt which was the Christian-governmental authority for both prosecution and sentencing in minor cases in Frankfurt. My research project is based on 354 cases of criminal proceedings that involve Jews as delinquents, accused, victims, witnesses, relatives and investigators. By analyzing court records concerning Jews, I’d like to understand the significance of the category Jewish for the dispensation of penal justice. This implies the Christian perspective as well as the Jewish perspective. With regard to the perspective of the Christian authorities and the perspective of non-Jewish actors, this means to analyze Jewishness as a legal ‘label’ vs. social-cultural category. With regard to the perspective of Jewish actors, I consider Jewishness as basic condition and social-cultural form of existence for their treatment and agency in court. With this study I pursue a double objective. The first is reconstructing Jewish everyday life and life conditions around 1800. From a conceptual point of view, I am interested, secondly, in (Re-)writing German-Jewish history as both a history of entanglements (in terms of Christian-Jewish relations and inner-Jewish relations) and a decentered history that is narrated from divers perspectives and implies a greater focus on the world of ordinary people. Therefore, I focus on interactions and exchange processes on both the level of actors and institutions and the level of law. My project is located at the intersection of Cultural history, Everday history and Gender history as well as Social history, historical crime research and Criminal law history. This combination of different research perspectives and questions requires different levels of analysis. I therefore combine qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis and detailed micro-level analysis (that means case studies).

Stipendium

Fondation pour la mémoire de la Shoah (2013/2014) Leo Baeck Fellowship 2011-2012/ Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes DAAD-Stipendium (2010/2011) Doktorandenstelle am Max-Planck-Institut für europäische Rechtsgeschichte Frankfurt am Main (2008-2011)

Titel der Dissertation:

„Extrem alltäglich – Jüdinnen und Juden in der Frankfurter Strafgerichtsbarkeit (1780-1814)“ (abgeschlossene Dissertation); » Entre extrême et quotidien – Les Juives et les Juifs face à la juridiction pénale francfortoise (1780-1814) »; Les Juifs devant le Juge autour de 1800 – une analyse des actes procéduraux de la juridiction criminelle des autorités chrétiennes de Francfort-sur-le-main (1780-1814)

Betreuer*in

Karl Härter (MPIeR Frankfurt, TU Darmstadt), Michael Werner (EHESS)

Organisation von Veranstaltungen

Non-Unity in Jewish History: Jewish men and women before the Frankfurt Penal Court, 1780-1814 (Manuscript in preparation, under contract with Wallstein Publishers).   Léon Poliakov (1910-1997) – an intellectual history (postdoc project).   As from January 2017: Consultant for Barbara Hahn (Vanderbilt University) and research associate, historical-critical edition of the collected works of Hannah Arendt (co-editor of the ‘Origins of totalitarianism’/ ‘Elemente und Ursprünge totaler Herrschaft’)

Organisation von Veranstaltungen

Professional Memberships Member of the working group “Individual, society, and culture at the time of National Socialism”, Centre Marc Bloch Berlin Member of the working group “Jewish history and historiography”, ZJS Berlin Member of Society for the research of Jewish History (GEGJ) Member of the Interdisciplinary Center for German Studies (Ciera Paris)