Born in 1935 in Hamm, Westphalia.
Education and professional career
- 1955 : Abitur (A-levels)
 - 1955-1961 : Studies (history, French, English) at the universities of Frankfurt am Main, Freiburg im Breisgau, Grenoble
 - 1961 : Staatsexamen
 - 1962-1963 : Instructor for foreign students in Erlangen-in-Franconia
 - 1963-1964 : German teaching assistant at Lycée Louis-le-Grand, Paris
 - 1965 : Teaching internship(Studienreferendar) for secondary school teachers
 - Assessorexamen
 - 1965-1966 : Work in Paris on doctoral thesis
 - 1966-1967 : Secondary school lectures in Unna, Westphalia
 - Since 1967 : Professor (Akademischer Oberrat) at the Institute of History at the University of Freiburg im Brigau
 - 1970 : Dr. Phil.
 - 1994-1995 : Visiting Professor at the Collège de France, holder of the annual European Chair