Lenhard, Philipp

Throughout history, the question of what it means to be Jewish has been repeatedly raised and controversially discussed. My research focuses on the diversity and heterogeneity of Jewish experiences in European Jewry from the early modern period to the present day. I consciously pursue transnational and interdisciplinary approaches, combining social, religious, and cultural history with the history of ideas and intellectual history. The geographical scope of my monographs and essays, which have been translated into eight languages, covers Europe, including exile, with a focus on German-speaking countries, especially Austria. My starting point is always the assertion that Jewish history and culture should not be treated as a separate entity in research and teaching, but rather as part of so-called general history.

• Jewish history of Austria 
• Jewish history of the Habsburg Empire and its successor states 
• European Jewish history from the early modern period to the present day 
• Jewish religious and intellectual history 
• Transnational and intertwined history 
• History and theories of anti-Semitism 
• History of critical theory 
• History of friendship

• 2003-2010 Studied Judaic Studies (major), Philosophy and Anglo-American History at the University of Cologne
• 2013 Visiting scholar at Charles University in Prague
• 2011-2014 Doctorate at the Chair of Jewish History and Culture at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich (summa cum laude)
• 2014-2022 Assistant professor at the Chair of Jewish History and Culture at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
• 2015-2016 Visiting scholar at the Institute of European Studies at the University of California, Berkeley
• 2016-2017 Acting Professor of Medieval and Modern History at the Martin Buber Institute for Jewish Studies at the University of Cologne
• 2020-2021 Fellow of the Gerda Henkel Foundation at the Historisches Kolleg München
• 2022-2024 DAAD Associate Professor for History and German at the University of California, Berkeley
• 2022 Habilitation and venia legendi for modern and contemporary history as well as Jewish history and culture at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
• 2024-2026 Acting Chair of Jewish History and Culture at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
• since March 2026 Tenure-track professorship in Jewish history of Austria, University of Vienna