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How did Leopold von Rankeās first book lead to his appointment at the University of Berlin?
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Leopold von Ranke
Ranke, detail of an oil painting by J. Schrader, 1868; in the National-Galerie, Berlin
In 1824, Leopold von Ranke published his maiden work, Geschichte der romanischen und germanischen Vƶlker von 1494 bis 1514 (History of the Latin and Teutonic Nations from 1494 to 1514). This book, along with its appended treatise, Zur Kritik neuerer Geschichtsschreiber, demonstrated his innovative approach to historical research, specifically his emphasis on the critical analysis of tradition as the historian's fundamental task.
As a direct result of these publications, Ranke was appointed as an associate professor at the University of Berlin in 1825.1