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Historian Dan Diner Turns 80: Coined 'Civilizational Rupture' for Holocaust

other · 2026-05-19

Dan Diner, the German-Israeli historian who coined the term 'Zivilisationsbruch' (civilizational rupture) for the Holocaust, celebrates his 80th birthday. A pioneer of universal history, Diner's work has profoundly shaped Holocaust studies and modern historiography. The congratulatory note comes from Norbert Frei, published in Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Key facts

  • Dan Diner turns 80 years old.
  • He coined the term 'Zivilisationsbruch' for the Holocaust.
  • He was among the first to think of history universally.
  • The congratulatory article is written by Norbert Frei.
  • The article was published in Süddeutsche Zeitung.
  • Diner is a German-Israeli historian.

Entities

Artists

  • Dan Diner

Institutions

  • Süddeutsche Zeitung

Locations

  • Germany
  • Israel

Sources