The chair as host for the SHOW Conference 2025
In November 2025, the Chair of War Studies, together with the Society of the History of War (SHOW) and the Center for Military History and Social Sciences of the German Armed Forces (ZMSBw), hosted the annual SHOW conference. This event was a special highlight in the Chair's annual program and was prepared with great care. From November 27 to 28, 2025, more than 170 participants from all over the world gathered in Potsdam for a professional exchange on the topic of “Cultures of War and Violence.” The Show promotes interdisciplinary dialogue on the history and conduct of wars in order to understand their profound impact on society, culture, and historical change. However, the event not only serves as a forum for sharing new research findings, but also promotes a global network of experts dedicated to addressing the ongoing challenges arising from the legacies of war and violence. The show's conferences have taken place in Amsterdam (2022), Lisbon (2023), Nicosia (2024), among other locations; this year, the University of Potsdam and the ZSMBW hosted the event. During the event, up to eight panels ran simultaneously. The keynote speech was given by Professor Beatrice de Graaf.
The event kicked off on November 27 at the ZSMBW. On the second day, participants gathered on the Am Neuen Palais campus.
On both days, dedicated students from the Chair of War Studies supported the event and helped ensure that everything ran smoothly.
The Association for Military History made a significant financial contribution to the event, without which, for example, the much-praised catering during the conference would not have been possible. Thank you very much! Combined with the equally excellent hospitality provided by the German Armed Forces, this contributed to the fact that the discussions in the panels could take place in an extremely productive atmosphere from early in the morning until late in the evening.
Participants commented positively on the hospitality of the University of Potsdam and the breadth of the panels on offer.
The conference dinner, with its fantastic three-course menu, was repeatedly mentioned as a highlight, rounding off the event. We would therefore like to express our sincere thanks also to the cafeteria at the New Palace.
