News in brief 2026
21.04.2026: Book presentation "Wenn China angreift. Ein Szenario" (in German)
On April 21, 2026, political scientist and author Andreas Fulder will visit the University of Potsdam to present his book “When China Attacks: A Scenario”. Professor Neitzel and Mr. Fulder will host a discussion following the presentation.
Location: Room 1.09.1.02
Time: 6:00–7:30 p.m.
Please register in advance. s. Flyer
Study Trip to Estonia with the Group of KAS Scholarship-Holders
Study Trip to Estonia with the Group of KAS Scholarship-Holders
From April 7 to 12, 2026, Prof. Dr. Sönke Neitzel, in his capacity as liaison for scholarship-holders of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) at the University of Potsdam, led a study trip to Estonia for the KAS university groups. The group was accompanied by two students from the MA War and Conflict Studies program and Dr. Christian E. Rieck, a research associate at the chair and himself a former KAS scholar.
find more here
Christian E. Rieck argues for the new military service on rbb
On March 10, 2026 Dr. Rieck was a guest on rbb24 - Der Talk to discuss the new military service. The guests represented the political spectrum from Die Linke to the CDU, with additional perspectives from Col. Wüstner of the political representation of the Bundeswehr and from the Chair of War Studies at the University of Potsdam. The episode can be seen here [in German].
Prof. Neitzel in Lithuania
From February 24 to 28, 2026, Prof. Neitzel gave several lectures to soldiers of the 45th Armored Brigade in Lithuania and assessed the security situation on the ground.
Christian E. Rieck as part of a delegation of the University President in Latin America
As part of a delegation of UP’s President from February 22 to March 7, Dr Rieck visited the largest partner universities and partner schools of the University of Potsdam in Latin America. Apart from select members of the faculties, representatives of the International Office and UP‘s Center for Teacher Training were also part of the delegation. During the two-week journey, partner in Colombia (UNAL, Javeriana, UniAndes), Argentina (UBA, UNSAM), Uruguay (UCU) and Brazil (UNICAMP, USP) were visited - organized by UP’s local Liaison Offices in Buenos Aires and São Paulo. These visits have given new momentum to the internationalization efforts of the university and the Faculty of Arts - not least in the area of War Studies.
Reporting on the delegation visits can be found
here (Universität Potsdam),
here (DERI),
here (USAM) and
here (Journal da USP).
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View of the clocktower and the campus of the University of São Paulo. -
University President Prof. Dr. Oliver Günther during the Alumni reception in Buenos Aires. -
A new building of the Papal University Javeriana in Bogotá. -
The Colégio Humboldt in São Paulo. -
View over Buenos Aires. -
The main staircase of the Catholic University of Uruguay. -
Bogotá‘s Cathedral. -
CAPAZ, a binational peace research institute, coordinated by an alliance of German universities and funded by the German Foreign Office. -
Prof. Dr. Borowski (left), Director of UP‘s Teacher Training Institute ZeLB, and Katharina Schmitt (second from right), Director of UP’s International Office, with the Headmasters of the German School Montevideo. -
The Natural Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires. -
The new lecture hall building of UBA Exactas. -
After the reception at the residence of the German General Consul in São Paulo -
The Edgard Leuenroth Archive of UNICAMP, the largest archive of the Brazilian workers’ movement and of afrobrazilian civil society organizations. -
UP’s President Prof. Dr. Oliver Günther (right) with his counterpart of the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Rector Prof. Dr. Paulo Cesar Montagner. -
Impression from the Historical City Center of São Paulo.
February 17, 2026 Jörg Schönbohm speech at the Garrison Church in Potsdam
On the anniversary of Jörg Schönbohm's death, the KAS organized a panel discussion to commemorate his life's work. The future of the German Armed Forces was also discussed. Questions about the defense of Europe served as a reminder of how progressive Schönbohm's ideas were even in his own time.
Prof. Neitzel gave the keynote speech.
17.02.2026 Jörg-Schönbohm-Rede: Unsichere Zeiten – Die Zukunft der Bundeswehr
On February 17, 2026, at 6:30 p.m., the Schönbohm Speech will take place at the Garrison Church in Potsdam. Professor Neitzel will deliver the keynote address and participate in the subsequent discussion (in German).
The event is organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. Registration is requested. Further details can be found in the Flyer.
Book Presentation at the Chancellor Helmut Kohl Foundation
Dr Christian E. Rieck will speak at the research colloquium of the Chancellor Helmut Kohl Foundation on February 4, 2026. He will present the core theses of his book “Wissenschaft und Zivilmacht” (Science and Civilian Power), which was published by Gebr. Mann Verlag in Berlin at the end of 2024. The book is a history of the multifaceted West German science diplomacy during the Cold War, which also extends beyond 1990. In conversation with contemporary witnesses and historians, it also aims to explore the limits of archive-based diplomatic history.
School visit to the New Palace
On January 28, 2026, a group of students from Heusenstamm visited the Chair of Military History to discuss current developments in German security and defense policy. Dr. Christian E. Rieck discussed with the students, above all, the new compulsory military service, which understandably preoccupied the guests greatly. Other topics included the turning point in history and the war in Ukraine. It was a lively and stimulating discussion, which the students continued afterwards—even in sub-zero temperatures—during a visit to the Neues Palais campus.
Podcast with Prof. Neitzel: “The old world is over”
In an interview with NDR Info, Professor Neitzel talks about the relationship between the EU and the US and explains why he is skeptical that the fighting in Ukraine will end soon.
Interview with Christian E. Rieck on RBB (07.01.2026)
In an interview with “radio3 am Morgen,” Christian E. Rieck ventured the following thesis: The Trump administration has successfully tested a new template for regime change in Venezuela. The military success of this surgical operation will encourage it to try this elsewhere—this is a signal to the region to take the US's renewed claim to power very seriously. This fear-based gunboat diplomacy to enforce economic interests is naked superpower politics, with a modus operandi that dates back to before the Cold War.
Find more here (in German).
