Wolfram Wette
| Wolfram Wette | |
|---|---|
Wette in 2008
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| Born | 1940 (age 76–77) Germany |
| Occupation | Historian, author, editor |
| Awards | Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany |
| Academic work | |
| Era | 20th century, World War II |
| Institutions |
Military History Research Office (MGFA) University of Freiburg |
| Main interests | Modern European history, military history, historiography |
| Notable works | |
Wolfram Wette (born 1940) is a German military historian and peace researcher. He is an author or editor of over 40 books on the history of Nazi Germany, including the seminal Germany and the Second World War series from the German Military History Research Office (MGFA).
Wette's book The Wehrmacht: History, Myth, Reality was translated into five languages and dealt with the issue of Wehrmacht's criminality during World War II and the legend of its "clean hands". In 2015, Wette was a recipient of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the only federal honour awarded to German citizens for exceptional achievements.
From 1971 to 1995 Wette worked at the Military History Research Office (MGFA). Afterwards, he was a professor of history at the University of Freiburg. Wette was a co-founder of the Historical Peace Research Working Group (Arbeitskreis Historische Friedens- und Konfliktforschung e.V.). For the SPD, he was a member of the municipal council from 1980 to 1989 (also chairman of the SPD parliamentary group and SPD city association chairman).
Wette is an author or editor of forty books on the history of Nazi Germany, including the Wehrmacht (armed forces), its leadership and its relationship with Nazism. Wette's works explored topics that at the time of their publications were still considered taboo or not widely discussed in Germany, such as desertion, treason and aid to victims of the Nazi regime from military personnel. Despite thousands of executions for "undermining of military morale", Wette's research has shown that only three Wehrmacht's servicemen were executed for helping the Jews. Wette explored the topic in his book Feldwebel Anton Schmid: Ein Held der Humanität [Feldwebel Anton Schmid: A Hero of Humanity]. The book told the story of Anton Schmid, who aided Jews confined to the Vilna ghetto, was sentenced to death by his military superiors and executed in 1942.
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