In Memoriam: Paul Pflanze
By Paul Elovitz
It has come to our attention that Professor Otto Paul Pflanze (1919-2007), who did some psychohistory as a biographer of Otto von Bismarck and was editor-in-chief from 1977 to 1985 of The American Historical Review (AHR—the preeminent American historical journal), died on March 3, 2007 in Bloomington, Indiana. Pflanze’s “Toward a Psychoanalytic Interpretation of Bismarck” (AHR, 1972) is an invaluable source for understanding the psychodynamics of the unifier of Germany. This internationally renowned Bismarck (1815-98) biographer and historian of nineteenth-century Germany was born in Tennessee and educated at Maryville College and Yale University, with the latter interrupted by service in the Air Corps of the U.S. Army. Though still a graduate student, he worked for a year for the U.S. Department of State helping to edit Documents of German Foreign Policy, 1918–45. After receiving his PhD in 1950, he taught at New York University, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the University of Illinois, the University of Minnesota, Indiana University and finally as Stevenson Professor of History at Bard College prior to his 1992 retirement.
Aside from his service as editor of the American Historical Review, Professor Pflanze is best known for his prize-winning three volumes on the “Iron Chancellor”: Bismarck and the Development of Germany (1963-90). Bismarck the man shows with all of his hypochondria and contradictions in some of Pflanze’s writing, though he did not delve into the fascinating unconscious reasons for the Chancellor’s diplomacy.
Professor Pflanze was a member of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and of various professional associations, as well as the recipient of numerous awards. He had a reputation as a generous advisor, teacher, and editor, as well as an interesting raconteur. He is survived by his wife of fifty-seven years, his thee children, one grandchild, and a substantial body of scholarship.
Paul H. Elovitz, PhD, took his doctoral degree in Modern European and English history and may be contacted at pelovitz@aol.com.
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