Historische Kontinuität und affirmative Genealogie: Johann Gustav Droysens politische Historik

Abstract

This paper analyses the methodological writings of nineteenth-century historian Johann Gustav Droysen. It explores how Droysen integrates the political and methodological aspects of historiography. The paper shows that Droysen relies on a procedure of “affirmative genealogy” which, in turn, is based on a concept of historical continuity. By Droysen’s account, historical continuity enables “historical understanding”; and the understanding of historical continuities provides the statesman – the “practical historian” – with a solid basis for political decision making.