The German History Society is delighted to open applications for our 2023 Postgraduate Essay Prize!

The GHS will award a prize of £500 to the winner of their annual essay competition. In addition, the essay will be considered for publication in German History.

The prize will be presented to the winner at the Annual General Meeting of the GHS in September. The Society will pay the cost of travel within the UK and Ireland for the winner to attend the AGM to receive the award.

A runner-up prize of £250 will also be awarded.

The deadline for entries for this year’s prize is 23 July 2023. Entries may be sent to [email protected].

The Rules

• The essay can be on any aspect of German History, including the history of German-speaking people both within and beyond Europe. Papers drawing on research in primary sources and critical, methodological or theoretical essays are equally welcome.
• Any student registered for a postgraduate degree (master’s or doctoral) at a university in the UK or the Republic of Ireland is eligible to enter the competition. All postgraduates who submitted their dissertation within twelve months of the date of submission of the essay are also eligible.
• The text of the essay (exclusive of references and bibliography) must not exceed 10,000 words.
• The essay must be submitted in English.
• Manuscripts which are already in press or have been submitted for publication in another journal are not eligible for the prize.
• Unpublished PhD chapters are suitable as entries to the prize.

The Decision

• The essays submitted will be read by a jury of four historians.
• Bearing in mind the overall criterion of publishability, the jury will evaluate the submissions in terms of their originality, depth, scope and rigour, and the extent to which they make a new contribution to historical understanding, as well as qualities of style and presentation.
• The jury reserves the right not to award a prize in any particular year.
• The decision of the jury is final.
• The jury will make its decision by late August and inform the prize candidates as soon as possible after that. The winner will be publicly announced at the Annual General Meeting of the GHS in September.
• Please note that we cannot offer feedback on entries for the prize.