Ralph Trost

Ralph Trost is a Lecturer in history and museology at Ruhr University Bochum and Emerson College. Since 2016, he has been an Associate member of the Chair of Didactics at the Historical Institute of the Faculty of History at Ruhr University Bochum, where he teaches practical exercises in Public History, Museums and Exhibitions, and Historical Museums, Exhibitions and Memorials. He also holds a part-time faculty position at Emerson College in Boston since 2006 and previously lectured at Saarland University in 2012-2013.

Dr. Trost specializes in history didactics, museology, and public history, with research focusing on museum studies, cultural memory, and historical exhibitions. His work examines how museums present history to the public, particularly regarding National Socialism, war remembrance, and cultural heritage. He emphasizes the evolving role of museums as bridges between academic scholarship and the general public, requiring historians to be both scholars and cultural managers.

His recent publications demonstrate expertise in museum design, exhibition development, and historical narratives, with particular attention to German history, cultural memory, and the presentation of difficult historical topics. His articles span from 2000 to 2021, showing a consistent research trajectory focused on how historical content is presented in museums, with special attention to Xanten's history, National Socialism, and war commemoration.

As a museum professional, Dr. Trost has served as curator, consultant, and director for numerous museum and exhibition projects across Germany and the Netherlands, including work at the National Liberation Museum 1944-1945 in Groesbeek and the Kriegsgräberstätte Ysselsteyn. His habilitation project at Ruhr University Bochum focuses on 'Culture of Remembrance and Identity in Museums,' examining the representation and communication of national history topics in international comparison.