Hans Rosenberg Book Prize

CEHS’s book prize, awarded annually since 2008, recognizes the best monograph in Central European History published by a North American scholar. It is named in honor of Hans Rosenberg, a German refugee historian who, after 1945, taught at the Free University of Berlin (1949-1950), Marburg (1955), and the University of California at Berkeley (1959-1972). He is considered to be one of the leading proponents of “modern” social history (Gesellschaftsgeschichte) in postwar Germany.

To view a list of winners of the Hans Rosenberg Book Prize click here.

Nominating books for the Hans Rosenberg Book Prize

NOTE: CEHS is no longer accepting submissions for the the 2026 prize. Submissions for the 2027 prize, which will recognize books published in 2026, will open in late March 2027.

The phrase “Central European” is understood to include all German-speaking countries as well as territories previously included within the German or Habsburg empires. Books that focus on the period after 1945 in Eastern Europe will need to engage with “German” and/or “Austrian” questions to be considered as “Central European” (rather than “Eastern European”). The current prize amount is $1,000.

The general rules for submission are:

Only books of a high scholarly quality should be nominated. Research accuracy, originality and literary merit are important factors in the review of the nominated monographs.
Only books published in the announced year (copyright year) are eligible for consideration.
Translations, edited collections, anthologies, memoirs and books that have been previously published will not be considered.
Nomination submissions may be made by an author or a publisher. Publishers may submit as many entries as they wish.

Questions about the prize and eligibility may be directed to RosenbergPrize@centraleuropeanhistory.org.