Ep. 21: The History: Addressing Contested Histories (Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Gudrun Krämer – Freie Universität Berlin)

Guest: Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Gudrun Krämer (FU Berlin) Hosts: Efe & Yusuf | Moderator: Mohamed Ibrahim Bio: Prof. Gudrun Krämer is one of the most influential historians of the Middle East and Germany’s leading scholar of Islamic studies. Her work has shaped global scholarship on Palestine, Islamism, and Islamic political thought. Her landmark A History of Palestine (C.H. Beck, 2015; Princeton UP, 2008) stands out internationally—no other work combines a broader historical scope with greater analytical depth. Der Architekt des Islamismus: Hasan al-Banna und die Muslimbrüder (C.H. Beck, 2022) is the first full biography of the founder of modern Islamism, as analytically brilliant as it is politically relevant. Her Geschichte des Islam (C.H. Beck, 2024) was included by Thomas Kerstan in his “Canon of the 21st Century.” Krämer is a member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the German Sciences and Humanities Council, and co-editor of the Encyclopaedia of Islam (Brill, 2007–present). Among her many honors are an honorary doctorate from Tashkent Islamic University, the Gerda Henkel Prize (2010), and the Historisches Kolleg Award (2025), the highest distinction in historical scholarship in Germany. In this episode: Prof. Krämer provides a concise historical overview of the Israel-Palestine conflict and key debates. She discusses the formation of Palestinian identity, Jerusalem’s political and religious significance, and the development of Zionism. The episode covers the Ottoman and British Mandate periods, the Balfour Declaration, the Great Arab Revolt (1936–39), and responses to the Peel (1937) and UN (1947) partition plans. She analyzes the Nakba and the 1947–48 war, their social and political effects, and the rise of movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. Krämer engages contested narratives—including the settler-colonial paradigm, Plan Dalet, and Hajj Amin al-Husseini’s legacy—and reflects on the October 7 massacre, the devastation of Gaza, and ongoing regional dynamics. Technical note: A recording issue affects the first 20 minutes, during which some words are inaudible, though the overall meaning remains clear. Questions removed from the final audio are available as a transcript (see: Apple Podcast & Catholic Academy). After minute 20, audio quality returns to normal. This episode was recorded on September 16, 2025. Links: Prof. Dr. Gudrun Krämer: https://www.fu-berlin.de/presse/expertendienst/experten/k/kraemer-gudrun/index.html A History of Palestine: https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691150079/a-history-of-palestine Geschichte Palästinas: https://www.chbeck.de/kraemer-geschichte-palaestinas/product/14087153 Der Architekt des Islamismus: https://www.chbeck.de/kraemer-architekt-islamismus/product/33198220 Geschichte des Islam: https://www.chbeck.de/kraemer-geschichte-islam/product/36194843 Disclaimer: Guest opinions are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the podcast team. Technical legal terms are explained in Episode 36 with Prof. Claus Kreß.