Schevill, Ferdinand, 1868-1954

American historian. Taught at the University of Chicago, 1892-1937.

From the description of Papers, [195-?]-1960. (University of Chicago Library). WorldCat record id: 52248395

Ferdinand Schevill graduated from Yale in 1889 and finished his PhD at Freiburg in 1892. That same year he arrived with Professor Von Holst at the University of Chicago. As a junior professor he began writing the texts books that would come to define his career. The first edition of Schevill’s text on Western Europe, Political History of Europe from 1500 to the Present Day was revised and republished many times until its final edition in 1948 as, A History of Europe to the Present Day. Focusing on the Italian Renaissance and the history of Prussia, he published Siena and his lectures on The Making of Modern Germany. Exploring the arts, Schevill wrote a biography of his brother-in-law, the sculptor, Karl Bitter (1922).

In order to dedicate more time to writing, Schevill retired in 1924. In 1930 he was persuaded to re-enter the University in the Humanities General Course of general education. He retired five years later to finish The History of Florence (1936) his most influential work. Schevill continued to research, publish and lecture; and in his eightieth year he went with a group of Professors from the University of Chicago to lecture in Frankfurt. In this era, Schevill specialized in the historiographies of famous writers. Schevill is remembered for his research and the literary style and clarity with which he presented his material, as well as for his vital personality, which called forth the "universal men" that he himself recovered from the Renaissance.

From the guide to the Schevill, Ferdinand. Papers, 195?-1960, (Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.)