Once again this year, the Leibniz Institute of European History (IEG) will have its own stand at the Mainz Book Fair. On 24 and 25 October 2026, the Institute will present recent publications arising from its research and invite visitors to learn more about the IEG, its work, and its publications. Edited by the Institute’s two Directors, Professor Nicole Reinhardt and Professor Johannes Paulmann, the series “Publications of the Institute of European History” (Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für Europäische Geschichte), published by Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, explores the historical foundations of modern Europe as well as the social, religious, and political developments and interconnections that continue to shape Europe today.
Alongside the IEG’s presence at the fair, two live book discussions for the IEG podcast “Epochal” will take place on Saturday, 24 October. Research Coordinator Dr Manfred Sing will talk to IEG researchers about their latest publications and the research behind them. Both conversations will be recorded live at the book fair and subsequently released as special episodes of “Epochal”.
Saturday, 24 October, 11:00 a.m.: Rule, Diplomacy and Religious Politics in Early Modern Europe
How were rule, diplomacy, and religious politics shaped in early modern East-Central and Southeastern Europe?
Dr Manfred Sing will talk to Dr Henning Jürgens and Dr Florian Kühnel about their latest publications and new perspectives on these topics.
The discussion will focus on the forthcoming edited volume on Stephen Báthory (1533–1586), Prince of Transylvania, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, edited by Henning Jürgens (De Gruyter), and Florian Kühnel’s monograph Diplomatie als kollektive Praxis. Botschaftssekretäre und diplomatischer Alltag im frühneuzeitlichen Istanbul(Wallstein), which examines diplomacy as a collective practice and the everyday work of embassy secretaries in early modern Istanbul.
Saturday, 24 October, 1:00 p.m.: Beauty Contests, Female Agency and Mobility
Long before Germany’s Next Topmodel, beauty contests fascinated broad audiences. Dr. Manfred Sing will talk to Dr. Corinna Schattauer about her book Weibliche Handlungsmacht und Mobilität: Kommerzielle Schönheitskonkurrenzen in Deutschland, 1909–1933, published by Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht in the series “Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für Europäische Geschichte”. The book examines commercial beauty contests in early twentieth-century Germany, exploring female agency and mobility in a field that has so far received little scholarly attention.
We look forward to welcoming you to our stand and to the live recordings of our podcast “Epochal”.
Venue: Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz, Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 2, 55131 Mainz.
