Reporter autumn2010 -a - Franklin Alumni Network - Franklin College

Prof explores
the old to make
sense of the new
By Cathleen Nine ’11
Pulliam Fellow
With his cultural ties to countries on
both sides of the Atlantic, history department
chair Ralph Guentzel, a native of
Kassel, Germany, offers his students a
unique perspective on European and
American life. Now Guentzel is sharing
that point of view and his years of
academic research with a broader
audience through a new book,
Understanding ‘Old Europe’: An Introduction
to the Culture, Politics and History of France,
Germany and Austria. Guentzel has studied
in Germany at the Georgia-Augusta
University in Goettingen and the Free
University in Berlin. In addition, he holds
master's and doctoral degrees in history
from McGill University in Montreal,
Canada. At Franklin, Guentzel is director
of the college’s Centre for Canadian
Studies. He also teaches courses in world
history and European history.
In the interview that follows, Guentzel
shares a glimpse of his career, interests
and accomplishments.
Q: What inspired you to pursue your
career path?
A: “I became inspired to be both a
historian and a teacher initially by my
curiosity about the events that produced
present-day society. Subsequently, I was
moved by a desire to share my insights on
the connection between past and present.
Eventually, I came to an understanding
that sharing insights is a dialectical process
that has a marvelous potential to enrich all
participants.”
Q: How did you decide on Franklin
College?
A: “While living in Montréal during the
1990s, I had several American friends.
One of them was the daughter of a couple
of professors at Beloit College, Wisconsin.
History department chair Ralph Guentzel takes in the panoramic view from a mountain top in Salzburg,
Austria, one of his favorite vacation destinations.
I visited Beloit several times and greatly
enjoyed the life of the college community
there. This experience fostered in me a
wish to become a member of such a
Midwestern college community. In 1998,
I came to Indianapolis to present a paper
at an academic conference. The chair of
my panel was Dr. Lloyd Hunter (history
professor emeritus). On the occasion,
he told me that he was chairing a search
committee in history and Canadian
Studies at Franklin College and
encouraged me to apply. The rest, as
they say, is history.”
Q: What’s the number one thing you wish
more students knew?
A: “I would wish all my students to be
aware of the need to know about and
learn from the rest of the world.
Globalization is a process that affects
all of us and one that we need to shape
ourselves because otherwise others will
do it for us.”
Q: What accomplishment makes you
most proud?
A: “Philosophically, I object to the
notion of pride because it is tied to
‘self-aggrandizement.’ However, recently
I have derived a degree of contentedness
from the publication of my new book.
The book surveys major customs and
institutions of contemporary society in
France, Germany and Austria and
explains their historical roots. It aims
to help Americans make sense of
‘Old Europe’ and Austrians, French and
Germans understand better their common
identity and its historical roots.”
Q: What’s something few people know
about you?
A: “Few people know that my first
impressions of America were formed by
reading Kenneth Roberts’ novels when
I was 12 years old. I also would add that
I was 16 years old when I first visited the
U.S., and on that occasion as well as
subsequent ones learned that few
Americans seem to know Roberts. I would
really like to encourage the readers of
these lines to find out about him. Read
one of his books. But, only after you’ve
finished Understanding ‘Old Europe.’”
Q: When you’re not in the classroom, what
are you likely to be doing?
A: “Planning my next trips to
St. Petersburg, Russia, for the winter
holidays, and Bad Ischl, Austria, for the
summer holidays.”
Q: What three adjectives best describe
being a professor?
A: “Curious. Investigative. Optimistic.”
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