​​Department of General History
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Dr. Michael Fire 


My life before BGU:

I was born in England in Newcastle Upon Tyne and went to high-school in Berne, Switzerland. For my Bachelor's degree I chose to study history and economics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and then, while still in the army, began a Master's degree in early modern history at Tel Aviv University. Upon my discharge I started my doctoral studies at New York University, where I wrote a dissertation on the financial history of interwar Austria. I then held a post-doc at the European University Institute in Florence and a second post-doc at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. During this time, I focused on turning my thesis into a book and also published a couple of articles on the history of Austria between the two World Wars. 

"We cannot understand modern history without studying its finance and economics"

 

 

My research:

In my work I focus on the economic and financial history of 20th century Europe, but I also study the history of modern sports and nationalism. I am currently beginning research on a new book about the currency reforms in Austria and Germany following the Second World War. My argument is that these reforms were an important step in the early development of the Cold War.

Why BGU?

I was really impressed by the campus and the department's warm atmosphere.

 

An insight from my research:

We cannot understand modern history without studying its finance and economics.

Something that doesn't appear on my resume:

I collect library cards.

A source of inspiration:

My parents

When I grow up:

I want to be a pilot

If I was not a researcher, I would be involved with:

Hotel management​


In brief:

Maccabi or HaPoel? HaPoel Katamon!
iPhone or Android? Does it matter?
Spring or summer? In Russia I preferred summer, in Israel spring and fall.
Pizza or hamburger? Tea or coffee? Beer or wine? Pizza with red wine followed by an espresso.
Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad? I prefer realism to fantasy.
An isolated cabin in nature or a pampering hotel in the city? My work is solitary enough.
Dire Straits or Queen? Beethoven's piano concertos.
Book or movie? The book is usually better than the movie

 

 

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