Alessandro Grazi

Alessandro Grazi is a Senior Researcher at the University of Münster's Cluster of Excellence 'Religion and Politics,' where he leads the subproject 'Pope Pius XII and baptized Jews in Brazil' (EXC 2060 C3-19). His academic journey includes a PhD in Humanities from the University of Groningen, a Rothschild Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Amsterdam, and research positions at the Leibniz Institute of European History in Mainz. He has also held teaching positions at various institutions including Justus Liebig University Giessen and the University of Amsterdam.

Grazi's educational background includes a PhD in Humanities from the University of Groningen (2008-2012), a Research Master in Literary Studies from the University of Amsterdam (2005-2007), and a Master in Preservation of Cultural Heritage from the University of Bologna (1998-2004). His doctoral research focused on 'Patria ed Affetti. Jewish Identity and Risorgimento Nationalism in the Oeuvres of Samuel Luzzatto, Isaac Reggio, and David Levi.'

His research centers on Jewish intellectual history of the 19th and 20th centuries, Jewish-Christian relations, and the History of the Jewish Book, with particular focus on Italian Jewish communities. Grazi has made significant contributions to understanding how Jewish intellectuals navigated Italian nationalism during the Risorgimento period and how Jewish communities adapted to modernity. His work often examines the intersection of Jewish identity with broader cultural and political movements, including Freemasonry and Saint-Simonism as vehicles for Enlightenment values among Italian Jews.

Grazi's publication record reveals a consistent focus on 19th-century Italian Jewish intellectuals, particularly David Levi, Isacco Samuele Reggio, and Samuel Luzzatto. His work spans traditional historical scholarship, digital humanities approaches to Jewish studies, and analyses of Jewish liturgical practices. The trajectory of his research shows increasing engagement with digital methodologies while maintaining a strong foundation in historical and literary analysis of Jewish texts and communities.

• Rothschild Postdoctoral Fellowship (2016-2018)

Grazi serves as Co-Editor for 'Incontri – European Journal of Italian Studies' and as Review Editor for 'Annali d'Itaianistica – Italian Studies Journal.' His research has been supported through positions within the Cluster of Excellence 'Religion and Politics' at the University of Münster and previous institutional affiliations. He has also presented his work at international venues, including an upcoming lecture at the German Embassy to the Holy See in Rome on February 6, 2025, titled 'Asking the Pope for Help. Jewish victims of the Nazi regime in the sources of the Vatican.'

As part of the Digital Humanities Lab at the Leibniz Institute of European History, Grazi has been actively involved in applying digital methods to Jewish studies, including work with Transkribus for text recognition and digital analysis of Jewish prayer books. His current research within the Cluster of Excellence involves interdisciplinary collaboration examining transcultural entanglement and disentanglement in religious contexts.