19 Facts About Helmut Koenigsberger

Helmut Georg Koenigsberger FBA was a German-born British historian and academic.

Helmut Koenigsberger was Professor of History at King's College London from 1973 to 1984 and head of its history department.

From 1934, Helmut Koenigsberger was educated at Adams' Grammar School, Newport, an all-boys grammar school in Newport, Shropshire, England, before going on to study history at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, from 1937 to 1940.

Helmut Koenigsberger spent a short period as a schoolmaster at private schools, working as an assistant master at Brentwood School, Essex from 1941 to 1942 and at Bedford School, Bedfordshire from 1942 to 1944.

Helmut Koenigsberger was required to anglicise his name and choose to be known as Hilary George Kingsley.

Helmut Koenigsberger's work involved deciphering and translating German naval messages while serving aboard British ships, and was often done at night and in secret.

Helmut Koenigsberger was demobilised in October 1945, although he had wanted to return to Germany to service with the Allied Control Council.

Helmut Koenigsberger then resumed his birth name and returned to the University of Cambridge to undertake postgraduate research in history.

Helmut Koenigsberger completed his Doctor of Philosophy in 1949: his thesis concerned the government of Sicily in the sixteenth century and its relationship with Habsburg Spain.

Helmut Koenigsberger joined Queen's University, Belfast as a lecturer in economic history in 1948.

Helmut Koenigsberger moved to the University of Manchester in 1951, having been appointed a senior lecturer in economic history.

Helmut Koenigsberger was Professor of Modern History at the University of Nottingham from 1960 to 1966, before moving to the United States of America where he was Professor of Early Modern History at Cornell University from 1966 to 1973.

Helmut Koenigsberger returned to the United Kingdom in 1973 and served as Professor of History at King's College London until his retirement in 1984.

Helmut Koenigsberger's research covered early modern Europe, and he is credited with its establishment as "a distinct and unified field of study".

Helmut Koenigsberger is credited with developing the idea of "composite monarchy".

Helmut Koenigsberger was a keen violinist, and fell badly protecting his violin.

Helmut Koenigsberger was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1989.

Helmut Koenigsberger was made a Commander of the Order of Isabella the Catholic by the King of Spain in 1997.

Helmut Koenigsberger was made an Honorary Fellow of King's College in 1999, the highest award that can be bestowed upon an individual by King's College London.