Hermann Oncken

Hermann Gerhardt Karl Oncken (16 November 1869 in Oldenburg – 28 December 1945 in Göttingen) was a German historian and political writer. He was one of the most notable historians of pre-Nazi Germany.

He lectured at the universities of Chicago (1905), Giessen (1906), Heidelberg (1907–1923), Munich (1923–1928), and Berlin (1928–1935). In 1935 he was forced to retire by the Nazi regime, which he opposed.

He specialized in the 19th century, history of historical thought, history of political thought.

Notable students include: Franz Schnabel (1887–1966), Ph.D. 1910 Gerhard Ritter (1888–1967), Ph.D. in 1912 Ernst Simon (1899–1988), Ph.D. in 1923 George W. F. Hallgarten (1901–1975), Ph.D. 1925 Walter Frank (1905–1945), Ph.D. 1927 Michael Freund (1902–1972), Ph.D. 1928 Paul Kluke (1908–1990), Ph.D. 1931 Margret Boveri (1900–1975), Ph.D. 1932 Felix Hirsch (1902–1982), Ph.D. 1924

Selected works Lasalle. Zwischen Marx und Bismarck (Lassalle. Between Marx and Bismarck), 1904 Rudolf von Bennigsen. Ein deutscher liberaler Politiker (Rudolf von Bennigsen. A German liberal politician), 1910 Historisch-politische Aufsätze (Historical-political Essays), 1914 Das alte und das neue Mitteleuropa, 1917 Die Utopia des Thomas Morus und das Machtproblem in der Staatslehre, 1922 Die Rheinpolitik Kaiser Napoleons III von 1863 bis 1870 (The Rhine policy of Emperor Napoleon III from 1863 until 1870), 3 vol., 1926 Napoleon III. und der Rhein. Der Ursprung des Krieges von 1870/71 (Napoleon III. and the Rhine. The Origin of the War of 1870/71), 1926 (= separately published Introduction of Die Rheinpolitik Kaiser Napoleons III (The Rhine policy of Emperor Napoleon III)) Über das Motiv der "Sicherheit" in der europäischen Geschichte, 1926 Großherzog Friedrich I. von Baden und die deutsche Politik von 1854–1871 (Grand Duke Friedrich I of Baden and the German policy of 1854–1871, 1927 Das Deutsche Reich und die Vorgeschichte des Weltkrieges (The German Reich and the Origin of the Great War), 2 vol., 1927 Cromwell. Vier Essays über die Führung einer Nation, 1935 Nation und Geschichte. Reden und Aufsätze 1919–1935 (Nation and History. Speeches and Essays 1919–1935), 1935