Robert E. Lerner Libros

The first complete biography of an influential historian whose dramatic life intersected with many great events and thinkers of the twentieth century This is the first complete biography of Ernst Kantorowicz (1895–1963), an influential German-American medieval historian whose colorful life intersected with many of the great events and thinkers of his time. Born into a wealthy Prussian-Jewish family, he fought in World War I—earning an Iron Cross and an Iron Crescent—before being sent home following an affair with a general’s mistress. Though he was an ardent German nationalist during the Weimar period, after the Nazis came to power he bravely spoke out against the regime before an overflowing crowd in Frankfurt. He narrowly avoided arrest after Kristallnacht, fleeing to England and then the United States, where he joined the faculty at Berkeley, only to be fired in 1950 for refusing to sign an anticommunist “loyalty oath.” From there, he “fell up the ladder” to Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study, where he wrote his masterwork, The King’s Two Bodies. Drawing on many new sources, including numerous interviews and unpublished letters, Robert E. Lerner tells the story of a major intellectual whose life and times were as fascinating as his work.

Originality and profound scholarship define this work, particularly through its exploration of new manuscript sources. The clarity and eloquence of the writing enhance its appeal, making it a noteworthy contribution to the field. Esteemed scholar Bernard McGinn from the University of Chicago praises it as a fine book, highlighting its academic rigor and engaging style.

The heresy of the Free Spirit was an important continental European heresy of the 14th century, and this volume examines the Free Spirit movement as it appeared in its own age, concluding that it represented a spectrum of belief that emphasized voluntary poverty and quietistic mysticism.

This biography explores the life of Ernst Kantorowicz (1895-1963), a significant and controversial German-American historian whose experiences intertwined with pivotal events and figures of the twentieth century. Renowned for his influential works, particularly a nationalistic 1927 biography of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and the classic study The King's Two Bodies (1957), Kantorowicz's impact extended beyond medieval history. Born into a wealthy Prussian-Jewish family, he served on the Western Front during World War I, where he was wounded at Verdun and earned an Iron Cross. His military career ended after a scandal involving a general's mistress. Post-war, he engaged in conflicts against Poles, Spartacists, and communists, showcasing his ardent nationalism during the Weimar era and involvement with the elitist Stefan George circle, which promoted a "Secret Germany." As a professor in Frankfurt, he courageously opposed the Nazi regime, narrowly escaping arrest after Kristallnacht. He fled to England and later the U.S., where he faced dismissal from Berkeley for refusing an anticommunist loyalty oath. Ultimately, he found a position at Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study, where he remained until his death. Drawing on new sources, including interviews and unpublished letters, Robert E. Lerner reveals the captivating life of this major intellectual.