Wilhelm von Giesebrecht

Wilhelm von Giesebrecht (born March 5, 1814, Berlin—died December 18, 1889, Munich) was a German historian, author of the first general history of medieval Germany based on modern critical methods, and a student of Leopold von Ranke. In 1857 Giesebrecht became professor at Königsberg and in 1862 succeeded Heinrich von Sybel at Munich. In Geschichte der deutschen Kaiserzeit, 6 vol. (1855–95; “History of the German Imperial Age,” completed by B. von Simson), Giesebrecht concerned himself...