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'''Alexander James Watson''' (born 12 July 1979) is a British historian. He is the author of three books, which focus on East-Central Europe, Germany and Britain during [[World War I]].<ref name=St.John>{{cite web |url=http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/dr-alexander-watson |title=Dr Alexander Watson |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |year=2014 |website |
'''Alexander James Watson''' (born 12 July 1979) is a British historian. He is the author of three books, which focus on East-Central Europe, Germany and Britain during [[World War I]].<ref name=St.John>{{cite web |url=http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/dr-alexander-watson |title=Dr Alexander Watson |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |year=2014 |website=St. John's College University of Cambridge |access-date=30 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160103194701/http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/dr-alexander-watson |archive-date=3 January 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> His most recent book, ''The Fortress: The Great Siege of Przemysl'' was praised by ''[[The Times]]'' newspaper as a "masterpiece".<ref name=Times>{{cite web |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-fortress-by-alexander-watson-review-siege-of-przemysl-nrdhmpr0j |title=The Fortress by Alexander Watson Review - The Siege that changed the First World War |author=<!--Lawrence James; no by-line.--> |year=2019 |work=The Times |access-date=12 October 2019}}</ref> His previous book, ''[[Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War, 1914-1918]]'', won numerous awards. Currently Watson is Professor of History at [[Goldsmiths, University of London]].<ref name=programme>{{cite web|url=http://programme.cvhf.org.uk/speaker/alexander-watson/ |title=Speaker details: Alexander Watson |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |year=2015 |website=Chalke Valley History Festival June 2015 |access-date=30 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304035112/http://programme.cvhf.org.uk/speaker/alexander-watson/ |archive-date=4 March 2016 }}</ref><ref name=wolfson>{{cite web |url=http://www.wolfson.org.uk/history-prize/latest-prize-winners/ |title=Latest Prize Winners |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=14 May 2015 |publisher=The Wolfson Foundation |access-date=30 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130904031055/http://www.wolfson.org.uk/history-prize/latest-prize-winners/ |archive-date=4 September 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name=goldsmiths>{{cite web |url=http://www.gold.ac.uk/history/staff/a-watson/ |title=Professor Alexander Watson |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |year=2015 |website=Goldsmiths, University of London |access-date=16 October 2019}}</ref> |
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==Education== |
==Education== |
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In 2000, Watson received his Bachelor of Arts ([[Honours Degree|hons]]) degree in [[Modern history]] from Exeter College, Oxford. He began his [[doctorate|doctoral degree]] in 2001 at Balliol College, Oxford, and completed in 2005.<ref name=St.John /> |
In 2000, Watson received his Bachelor of Arts ([[Honours Degree|hons]]) degree in [[Modern history]] from Exeter College, Oxford. He began his [[doctorate|doctoral degree]] in 2001 at Balliol College, Oxford, and completed in 2005.<ref name=St.John /> |
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From 2005 to 2008, he was a [[Clare Hall, Cambridge]] Research Fellow.<ref name=St.John /><ref name=programme /><ref name=goldsmiths /> For three years, starting in 2008, Watson was a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at the [[University of Cambridge]].<ref name=programme /><ref name=goldsmiths /> In 2010, he was a College Research Associate at [[St. John's College, Cambridge]].<ref name=St.John /> Watson was a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellow at the [[University of Warsaw]] in Poland from 2011 to 2013.<ref name=goldsmiths /><ref name=bokus>{{cite web |url=http://www.bokus.com/bok/9780141042039/ring-of-steel/ |title=Ring of Steel |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website |
From 2005 to 2008, he was a [[Clare Hall, Cambridge]] Research Fellow.<ref name=St.John /><ref name=programme /><ref name=goldsmiths /> For three years, starting in 2008, Watson was a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at the [[University of Cambridge]].<ref name=programme /><ref name=goldsmiths /> In 2010, he was a College Research Associate at [[St. John's College, Cambridge]].<ref name=St.John /> Watson was a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellow at the [[University of Warsaw]] in Poland from 2011 to 2013.<ref name=goldsmiths /><ref name=bokus>{{cite web |url=http://www.bokus.com/bok/9780141042039/ring-of-steel/ |title=Ring of Steel |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Bokus |access-date=30 December 2015}}</ref> |
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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Watson's first book, ''Enduring the Great War; Combat, Morale and Collapse in the German armies (1914–1918)'', began as his doctoral thesis in October 2001. It was published by [[Cambridge University Press]] in 2008. The book focuses on the psyche of German and British soldiers in World War I and attempts to understand how they were able to fight for all those years. In 2006, it was awarded the Fraenkel Prize from the Institute of Contemporary History and [[Wiener Library]].<ref name=ouhistory>{{cite web |url=http://www.ouhistory.org.uk/reviews/?r=enduringwar-Enduring-the-Great-War-Combat-Morale-and-Collapse-in |title=Review of Enduring the Great War |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website |
Watson's first book, ''Enduring the Great War; Combat, Morale and Collapse in the German armies (1914–1918)'', began as his doctoral thesis in October 2001. It was published by [[Cambridge University Press]] in 2008. The book focuses on the psyche of German and British soldiers in World War I and attempts to understand how they were able to fight for all those years. In 2006, it was awarded the Fraenkel Prize from the Institute of Contemporary History and [[Wiener Library]].<ref name=ouhistory>{{cite web |url=http://www.ouhistory.org.uk/reviews/?r=enduringwar-Enduring-the-Great-War-Combat-Morale-and-Collapse-in |title=Review of Enduring the Great War |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=OU History Society |access-date=30 December 2015}}</ref> |
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In August 2014,<ref name=marketwire>{{cite web |url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/alexander-watson-wins-50000-guggenheim-lehrman-prize-in-military-history-2002950.htm |title=Alexander Watson Wins $50,000 Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize in Military History |last1=Baggetta |first1=Angela |date=23 March 2015 |website |
In August 2014,<ref name=marketwire>{{cite web |url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/alexander-watson-wins-50000-guggenheim-lehrman-prize-in-military-history-2002950.htm |title=Alexander Watson Wins $50,000 Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize in Military History |last1=Baggetta |first1=Angela |date=23 March 2015 |website=Market Wired |access-date=30 December 2015}}</ref> Watson's second book, ''Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War (1914–1918)'' was published. To write the book, he spent two years researching archives in [[Poland]], Germany, and [[Austria]]. His reason for writing the book was to better understand the war from the perspective of the Central Powers' leaders and their peoples; how they were able to endure suffering and commit crimes that would later lead to "even greater horrors of totalitarian dictatorship, a second world war and genocide".<ref name=aitken /> The book received many accolades. It was awarded [[The Sunday Times]] 2014 History Book of the Year,<ref name=gold /> the 2015 Distinguished Book Award from the [[Society for Military History]],<ref name=aitken>{{cite web |url=http://www.aitkenalexander.co.uk/alexander-watson-wins-wolfson-history-prize/ |title=Watson Wins History Prize |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=19 May 2015 |website=Aitken Alexander Associates |access-date=30 December 2015}}</ref> and the 2015 British Army Military Book of the Year.<ref name=bokus /> On 23 March 2015 Watson was awarded the second annual<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shelf-awareness.com/issue.html?issue=2469#m27841 |title=Awards: Folio; Guggenheim-Lehrman; Books for a Better Life |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Shelf-Awareness |access-date=30 December 2015}}</ref> 2014 Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize in Military History (now the [[Gilder Lehrman Prize for Military History at the New-York Historical Society]]), and received $50,000. The award is given to the best book in the field of military history published during the previous calendar year.<ref name=marketwire /> During a ceremony on 14 May 2015, Watson received the [[Wolfson History Prize]] for ''Ring of Steel''.<ref name=gold>{{cite web |url=http://www.gold.ac.uk/news/dr-alex-watson-wins-wolfson-history-prize/ |title=Dr Alex Watson wins Wolfson History Prize |last1=Morgan |first1=Tom |date=20 May 2015 |website=Goldsmiths University of London |publisher=University of London |access-date=30 December 2015}}</ref> Along with this prize, Watson was also awarded £25,000.<ref name=wolfson /> |
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''The Fortress: The Great Siege of Przemysl'', Watson's most recent book, was released in October 2019.<ref name=penguin>{{cite web |url=https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/305/305803/the-fortress/9780241309063.html |title=The Fortress |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website |
''The Fortress: The Great Siege of Przemysl'', Watson's most recent book, was released in October 2019.<ref name=penguin>{{cite web |url=https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/305/305803/the-fortress/9780241309063.html |title=The Fortress |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |website=Penguin Books |access-date=16 October 2019}}</ref> This is the story of the First World War's longest siege, and of the opening of the brutal tragedy which befell East-Central Europe during the twentieth century. It follows a Habsburg garrison of old soldiers defending the city from Russian attack, and recounts the fighting, starvation and anti-Semitic ethnic cleansing which began in the region already in 1914. The book was a finalist for the 2019 Gilder Lehrman Prize for Military History.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gilderlehrman.org/about/john-c-mcmanus-wins-gilder-lehrman-military-history-prize | title=John C. McManus Wins the Gilder Lehrman Military History Prize | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History }}</ref> |
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Watson has written for ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[Times Higher Education]]'', and ''[[History Today]]''. He has been interviewed for [[BBC Radio]] programmes, "World War One" and "Good Morning, Scotland", and appeared on the German Channel's documentary, "The Search for the Lost Sons. One Hundred Years of the First World War".<ref name=goldsmiths /> |
Watson has written for ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[Times Higher Education]]'', and ''[[History Today]]''. He has been interviewed for [[BBC Radio]] programmes, "World War One" and "Good Morning, Scotland", and appeared on the German Channel's documentary, "The Search for the Lost Sons. One Hundred Years of the First World War".<ref name=goldsmiths /> |
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Latest revision as of 22:15, 29 August 2024
Alexander J. Watson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 July 1979 |
| Occupation | Historian. |
| Alma mater | Merchant Taylors’ School, Exeter College, Oxford (BA hons), Balliol College, Oxford (doctorate) |
| Subject | East-Central Europe, Germany and Britain during World War I. |
| Notable works | The Fortress: The Great Siege of Przemysl (2019), Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War, 1914–1918 (2014) |
| Notable awards | Wolfson History Prize (2014), Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize in Military History (2014) |
Alexander James Watson (born 12 July 1979) is a British historian. He is the author of three books, which focus on East-Central Europe, Germany and Britain during World War I.[1] His most recent book, The Fortress: The Great Siege of Przemysl was praised by The Times newspaper as a "masterpiece".[2] His previous book, Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War, 1914-1918, won numerous awards. Currently Watson is Professor of History at Goldsmiths, University of London.[3][4][5]
Education
[edit]In 2000, Watson received his Bachelor of Arts (hons) degree in Modern history from Exeter College, Oxford. He began his doctoral degree in 2001 at Balliol College, Oxford, and completed in 2005.[1] From 2005 to 2008, he was a Clare Hall, Cambridge Research Fellow.[1][3][5] For three years, starting in 2008, Watson was a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Cambridge.[3][5] In 2010, he was a College Research Associate at St. John's College, Cambridge.[1] Watson was a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellow at the University of Warsaw in Poland from 2011 to 2013.[5][6]
Career
[edit]Watson's first book, Enduring the Great War; Combat, Morale and Collapse in the German armies (1914–1918), began as his doctoral thesis in October 2001. It was published by Cambridge University Press in 2008. The book focuses on the psyche of German and British soldiers in World War I and attempts to understand how they were able to fight for all those years. In 2006, it was awarded the Fraenkel Prize from the Institute of Contemporary History and Wiener Library.[7]
In August 2014,[8] Watson's second book, Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War (1914–1918) was published. To write the book, he spent two years researching archives in Poland, Germany, and Austria. His reason for writing the book was to better understand the war from the perspective of the Central Powers' leaders and their peoples; how they were able to endure suffering and commit crimes that would later lead to "even greater horrors of totalitarian dictatorship, a second world war and genocide".[9] The book received many accolades. It was awarded The Sunday Times 2014 History Book of the Year,[10] the 2015 Distinguished Book Award from the Society for Military History,[9] and the 2015 British Army Military Book of the Year.[6] On 23 March 2015 Watson was awarded the second annual[11] 2014 Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize in Military History (now the Gilder Lehrman Prize for Military History at the New-York Historical Society), and received $50,000. The award is given to the best book in the field of military history published during the previous calendar year.[8] During a ceremony on 14 May 2015, Watson received the Wolfson History Prize for Ring of Steel.[10] Along with this prize, Watson was also awarded £25,000.[4]
The Fortress: The Great Siege of Przemysl, Watson's most recent book, was released in October 2019.[12] This is the story of the First World War's longest siege, and of the opening of the brutal tragedy which befell East-Central Europe during the twentieth century. It follows a Habsburg garrison of old soldiers defending the city from Russian attack, and recounts the fighting, starvation and anti-Semitic ethnic cleansing which began in the region already in 1914. The book was a finalist for the 2019 Gilder Lehrman Prize for Military History.[13]
Watson has written for The New York Times, Times Higher Education, and History Today. He has been interviewed for BBC Radio programmes, "World War One" and "Good Morning, Scotland", and appeared on the German Channel's documentary, "The Search for the Lost Sons. One Hundred Years of the First World War".[5]
Publications
[edit]Books[5]
- The Fortress: The Great Siege of Przemysl, 2019, ISBN 978-0241309063
- Ring of Steel: Germany and Austria-Hungary at War, 1914–1918, 2014, ISBN 978-1846142215
- Enduring the Great War. Combat, Morale and Collapse in the German and British armies, 1914–1918, 2008, ISBN 978-0521881012
Articles[5]
- "Managing an 'Army of Peoples': Identity, Command and Performance in the Habsburg Officer Corps, 1914-1918", Contemporary European History, 2016, ISSN 0960-7773
- "'Unheard of Brutality': Russian Atrocities against Civilians in East Prussia, 1914–1915", The Journal of Modern History, 2014, ISSN 0022-2801
- "Fighting for Another Fatherland: the Polish Minority in the German Army, 1914–1918", The English Historical Review, 2011, ISSN 0013-8266
- "Bereaved and Aggrieved: Combat Motivation and the Ideology of Sacrifice in the First World War", Historical Research, 2010, ISSN 1468-2281
- "Culture and Combat in the Western World, 1900–1945", The Historical Journal, 2008, ISSN 0018-246X
- "Junior Officership in the German Army during the Great War, 1914–1918", War in History, 2007, ISSN 0968-3445
- "Self-Deception and Survival: Mental Coping Strategies on the Western Front, 1914–1918", Journal of Contemporary History, 2006, ISSN 0022-0094
- "For Kaiser and Reich": the Identity and Fate of the German Volunteers, 1914–1918", War in History, 2005, ISSN 0968-3445
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Dr Alexander Watson". St. John's College University of Cambridge. 2014. Archived from the original on 3 January 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ "The Fortress by Alexander Watson Review - The Siege that changed the First World War". The Times. 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
- ^ a b c "Speaker details: Alexander Watson". Chalke Valley History Festival June 2015. 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ a b "Latest Prize Winners". The Wolfson Foundation. 14 May 2015. Archived from the original on 4 September 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Professor Alexander Watson". Goldsmiths, University of London. 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
- ^ a b "Ring of Steel". Bokus. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ "Review of Enduring the Great War". OU History Society. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ a b Baggetta, Angela (23 March 2015). "Alexander Watson Wins $50,000 Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize in Military History". Market Wired. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ a b "Watson Wins History Prize". Aitken Alexander Associates. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ a b Morgan, Tom (20 May 2015). "Dr Alex Watson wins Wolfson History Prize". Goldsmiths University of London. University of London. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ "Awards: Folio; Guggenheim-Lehrman; Books for a Better Life". Shelf-Awareness. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
- ^ "The Fortress". Penguin Books. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
- ^ "John C. McManus Wins the Gilder Lehrman Military History Prize | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History".
