01
der Historiker
historian
A person who studies and presents history in a scholarly way.
example
Der Historiker veröffentlichte ein neues Buch über die Französische Revolution.
The historian published a new book about the French Revolution.
der Historiker
historian
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Meanings
Usage tips
Common mistake: N-declension
'Historiker' (historian) is a weak masculine noun (N-declension). This means it takes the ending '-n' in the accusative, dative, and genitive singular. This mistake is often made.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe gestern einen bekannten Historiker getroffen.
Yesterday I met a well-known historian.
Word family
The word is derived from 'die Historie' (history). The ending '-iker' often refers to a male person who is an expert in a particular field, as in 'Physiker' (physicist) or 'Informatiker' (computer scientist).
EXAMPLE
Als Historiker beschäftigt er sich hauptsächlich mit dem 20. Jahrhundert.
As a historian, he mainly deals with the 20th century.
Typical activities
The work of a historian is often described with verbs such as 'forschen' (to research), 'analysieren' (to analyze), or 'veröffentlichen' (to publish). A typical phrase is also 'sich mit etwas beschäftigen' (to deal with something / to work on something).
EXAMPLE
Der Historiker forscht seit Jahren über das Römische Reich.
The historian has been researching the Roman Empire for years.
Compare with
Historiker vs Chronist
chronicler
'der Historiker' and 'der Chronist' both deal with events and history. A Historiker studies history in a scholarly way, checks sources, and explains connections. A Chronist mainly records events in chronological order, often for a town, a family, or a specific period. Learners may confuse the words because both can write about the past. When it is about research and interpretation, 'Historiker' fits better. When someone collects events and writes them down in order, 'Chronist' is more precise.
Historiker
Der Historiker erklärt im Vortrag, warum die Stadt im Mittelalter wichtig war.
In the lecture, the historian explains why the city was important in the Middle Ages.
Chronist
Der Chronist notierte jedes Jahr die wichtigsten Ereignisse im Dorf.
The chronicler noted down the most important events in the village each year.
In real life
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