Walter Ze'ev Laqueur (26 May 1921 – 30 September 2018) was a German-born American historian, journalist and political commentator. He was an influential scholar on the subjects of
terrorism and
political violence.[1][2]
Laqueur was married to Naomi Koch, with whom he had two daughters. His second wife was Christa Susi Genzen.[4] Laqueur died at his home in
Washington, D.C., on September 30, 2018.[5]
Journalism and academic career
From 1944, when he moved to Jerusalem, until his departure in 1955 he worked as a journalist for the
Hashomer Hatzair newspaper, Mishmar (later, Al HaMishmar),[6] and for The Palestine Post (later, The Jerusalem Post). In addition, he was the Middle East correspondent for journals in the United States and a commentator on world politics for Israel radio.[7]
After moving to London, Laqueur founded and edited Soviet Survey, a journal focusing on Soviet and East European culture. Survey was one of the numerous publications of the
CIA-funded
Congress for Cultural Freedom to counter Soviet Communist cultural propaganda in the West.[8]
Laqueur's book The Last Days of Europe is often cited as a segment of "
Eurabia literature",[10][11][12][13] although in After the Fall he dismisses the "alarmist" notion of Eurabia as popularized by
Oriana Fallaci.[14]
Selected works
Articles
"Letters from Readers." Commentary, vol. 21, no. 2 (February 1956), pp. 183–185.
"Communism and Nationalism in Tropical Africa." Foreign Affairs, vol. 39, no. 4 (July 1961), pp. 610–621.
JSTOR20029515.
"
Hollanditis: A New Stage in European Neutralism." Commentary (August 1981), pp. 19–29.
"The Future of Intelligence." Society, vol. 35, no. 2 (January/February 1998), pp. 301–311.
doi:
10.1007/BF02838154.
Polycentrism: The New Factor in International Communism, co-edited with
Leopold Labedz, New York: Praeger, 1962
Young Germany: A History of the German Youth Movement, New York: Basic Books, 1962
Heimkehr: Reisen in der Vergangenheit, Berlin, Propylaen Verlag, 1964
Neue Welle in der Sowjetunion: Beharrung und Fortschritt in Literatur und Kunst, Vienna: Europa Verlag, 1964
Russia and Germany: A Century of Conflict, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1965
1914: The Coming of the First World War, co-edited with
George L. Mosse, New York: Harper & Row, 1966
Education and Social Structure in the Twentieth Century, co-edited with George L. Mosse, New York: Harper & Row, 1967
The Fate of the Revolution: Interpretations of Soviet History, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1967
The Road to Jerusalem: The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1967, New York: Macmillan, 1968 (published in the UK as The Road to War, 1967: The Origins of the Arab-Israel Conflict, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1969)
The Israel-Arab Reader: A Documentary History of the Middle East Conflict, Pelican Books, 1969.
Linksintellektuelle zwischen den beiden Weltkriegen, co-written with George Mosse, Munich: Nymphenburger Verlagshandlung, 1969
The Struggle for the Middle East: The Soviet Union in the Mediterranean, 1958–1968, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1969
Europe Since Hitler, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1970
A Dictionary of Politics, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1971
ISBN0-297-00091-8
Out of the Ruins of Europe, New York: Library Press, 1971
ISBN0-912050-01-2
A Reader's Guide to Contemporary History, co-edited with Bernard Krikler, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1972
ISBN0-297-99465-4.
A History of Zionism, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson 1972
ISBN0-03-091614-3
Neo-Isolationism and the World of the Seventies, New York: Library Press, 1972
ISBN0-912050-38-1
Confrontation: The Middle East War and World Politics', London: Wildwood House, 1974
ISBN0-7045-0096-5
Historians in Politics, co-edited with George L. Mosse, London: Sage Publications, 1974
ISBN0-8039-9930-5
Weimar: A Cultural History, 1918–1933. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1974.
ISBN0297765744.
The Second World War: Essays in Military and Political History, London: Sage Publications, 1982
ISBN0-8039-9780-9
America, Europe, and the Soviet Union: Selected Essays, New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books, 1983
ISBN0-87855-362-2
The Pattern of Soviet Conduct in the Third World, editor, New York: Praeger, 1983
ISBN0-03-063944-1
Looking Forward, Looking Back: A Decade of World Politics, New York: Praeger, 1983
ISBN0-03-063422-9
The Israel-Arab Reader: A Documentary History of the Middle East Conflict, co-edited with Barry Rubin, London and New York: Penguin Books, 1984
ISBN0-14-022588-9
Germany Today: A Personal Report, Boston, MA: Little, Brown, 1985
ISBN0-316-51453-5
A World of Secrets: The Uses and Limits of Intelligence, New York: Basic Books, 1985
ISBN0-465-09237-3
European Peace Movements and the Future of the Western Alliance, co-edited with Robert Hunter, New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books, 1985
ISBN0-88738-035-2
Putinism: Russia and its Future with the West. New York:
Thomas Dunne Books, 2015.
The Israel-Arab Reader: A Documentary History of the Middle East Conflict, with Dan Schueftan. London and New York:
Penguin Books, 2016. Eighth revised and updated edition.
Andreas W. Daum, "Refugees from Nazi Germany as Historians: Origins and Migrations, Interests and Identities," The Second Generation: Émigrés from Nazi Germany as Historians. With a Biobibliographic Guide, ed. Andreas W. Daum, Hartmut Lehmann, and
James J. Sheehan. New York: Berghahn Books, 2016,
ISBN978-1-78238-985-9, 1‒52.
References
^Hoffman, Bruce (2011). "In Celebration of Walter Laqueur's 90th Birthday: Reflections on His Contributions to the Study of Terrorism and Guerrilla Warfare". Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. 34 (9): 667–671.
doi:
10.1080/1057610x.2011.594942.
ISSN1057-610X.
S2CID108760988.
^Andreas W. Daum,
Hartmut Lehmann,
James J. Sheehan (eds.), The Second Generation: Émigrés from Nazi Germany as Historians. With a Biobibliographic Guide. New York: Berghahn Books, 2016,
ISBN978-1-78238-985-9 2, 8, 15, 23‒24, 30‒31, 34, 36, 162‒3, 177‒206, 399‒402 (including a short biography and a bibliography).
Walter Ze'ev Laqueur (26 May 1921 – 30 September 2018) was a German-born American historian, journalist and political commentator. He was an influential scholar on the subjects of
terrorism and
political violence.[1][2]
Laqueur was married to Naomi Koch, with whom he had two daughters. His second wife was Christa Susi Genzen.[4] Laqueur died at his home in
Washington, D.C., on September 30, 2018.[5]
Journalism and academic career
From 1944, when he moved to Jerusalem, until his departure in 1955 he worked as a journalist for the
Hashomer Hatzair newspaper, Mishmar (later, Al HaMishmar),[6] and for The Palestine Post (later, The Jerusalem Post). In addition, he was the Middle East correspondent for journals in the United States and a commentator on world politics for Israel radio.[7]
After moving to London, Laqueur founded and edited Soviet Survey, a journal focusing on Soviet and East European culture. Survey was one of the numerous publications of the
CIA-funded
Congress for Cultural Freedom to counter Soviet Communist cultural propaganda in the West.[8]
Laqueur's book The Last Days of Europe is often cited as a segment of "
Eurabia literature",[10][11][12][13] although in After the Fall he dismisses the "alarmist" notion of Eurabia as popularized by
Oriana Fallaci.[14]
Selected works
Articles
"Letters from Readers." Commentary, vol. 21, no. 2 (February 1956), pp. 183–185.
"Communism and Nationalism in Tropical Africa." Foreign Affairs, vol. 39, no. 4 (July 1961), pp. 610–621.
JSTOR20029515.
"
Hollanditis: A New Stage in European Neutralism." Commentary (August 1981), pp. 19–29.
"The Future of Intelligence." Society, vol. 35, no. 2 (January/February 1998), pp. 301–311.
doi:
10.1007/BF02838154.
Polycentrism: The New Factor in International Communism, co-edited with
Leopold Labedz, New York: Praeger, 1962
Young Germany: A History of the German Youth Movement, New York: Basic Books, 1962
Heimkehr: Reisen in der Vergangenheit, Berlin, Propylaen Verlag, 1964
Neue Welle in der Sowjetunion: Beharrung und Fortschritt in Literatur und Kunst, Vienna: Europa Verlag, 1964
Russia and Germany: A Century of Conflict, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1965
1914: The Coming of the First World War, co-edited with
George L. Mosse, New York: Harper & Row, 1966
Education and Social Structure in the Twentieth Century, co-edited with George L. Mosse, New York: Harper & Row, 1967
The Fate of the Revolution: Interpretations of Soviet History, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1967
The Road to Jerusalem: The Origins of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, 1967, New York: Macmillan, 1968 (published in the UK as The Road to War, 1967: The Origins of the Arab-Israel Conflict, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1969)
The Israel-Arab Reader: A Documentary History of the Middle East Conflict, Pelican Books, 1969.
Linksintellektuelle zwischen den beiden Weltkriegen, co-written with George Mosse, Munich: Nymphenburger Verlagshandlung, 1969
The Struggle for the Middle East: The Soviet Union in the Mediterranean, 1958–1968, London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1969
Europe Since Hitler, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1970
A Dictionary of Politics, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1971
ISBN0-297-00091-8
Out of the Ruins of Europe, New York: Library Press, 1971
ISBN0-912050-01-2
A Reader's Guide to Contemporary History, co-edited with Bernard Krikler, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1972
ISBN0-297-99465-4.
A History of Zionism, London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson 1972
ISBN0-03-091614-3
Neo-Isolationism and the World of the Seventies, New York: Library Press, 1972
ISBN0-912050-38-1
Confrontation: The Middle East War and World Politics', London: Wildwood House, 1974
ISBN0-7045-0096-5
Historians in Politics, co-edited with George L. Mosse, London: Sage Publications, 1974
ISBN0-8039-9930-5
Weimar: A Cultural History, 1918–1933. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1974.
ISBN0297765744.
The Second World War: Essays in Military and Political History, London: Sage Publications, 1982
ISBN0-8039-9780-9
America, Europe, and the Soviet Union: Selected Essays, New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books, 1983
ISBN0-87855-362-2
The Pattern of Soviet Conduct in the Third World, editor, New York: Praeger, 1983
ISBN0-03-063944-1
Looking Forward, Looking Back: A Decade of World Politics, New York: Praeger, 1983
ISBN0-03-063422-9
The Israel-Arab Reader: A Documentary History of the Middle East Conflict, co-edited with Barry Rubin, London and New York: Penguin Books, 1984
ISBN0-14-022588-9
Germany Today: A Personal Report, Boston, MA: Little, Brown, 1985
ISBN0-316-51453-5
A World of Secrets: The Uses and Limits of Intelligence, New York: Basic Books, 1985
ISBN0-465-09237-3
European Peace Movements and the Future of the Western Alliance, co-edited with Robert Hunter, New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Books, 1985
ISBN0-88738-035-2
Putinism: Russia and its Future with the West. New York:
Thomas Dunne Books, 2015.
The Israel-Arab Reader: A Documentary History of the Middle East Conflict, with Dan Schueftan. London and New York:
Penguin Books, 2016. Eighth revised and updated edition.
Andreas W. Daum, "Refugees from Nazi Germany as Historians: Origins and Migrations, Interests and Identities," The Second Generation: Émigrés from Nazi Germany as Historians. With a Biobibliographic Guide, ed. Andreas W. Daum, Hartmut Lehmann, and
James J. Sheehan. New York: Berghahn Books, 2016,
ISBN978-1-78238-985-9, 1‒52.
References
^Hoffman, Bruce (2011). "In Celebration of Walter Laqueur's 90th Birthday: Reflections on His Contributions to the Study of Terrorism and Guerrilla Warfare". Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. 34 (9): 667–671.
doi:
10.1080/1057610x.2011.594942.
ISSN1057-610X.
S2CID108760988.
^Andreas W. Daum,
Hartmut Lehmann,
James J. Sheehan (eds.), The Second Generation: Émigrés from Nazi Germany as Historians. With a Biobibliographic Guide. New York: Berghahn Books, 2016,
ISBN978-1-78238-985-9 2, 8, 15, 23‒24, 30‒31, 34, 36, 162‒3, 177‒206, 399‒402 (including a short biography and a bibliography).