Dieter J. Weiß

Prof. Dr. Dieter J. Weiß is a Full Professor of Bavarian History and Comparative Regional History with special emphasis on the Middle Ages at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU), where he holds the Chair of Bavarian History within the Faculty 09 Historical Seminar. His academic career spans over three decades, with previous appointments at the University of Bayreuth, University of Würzburg, and Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen.

Professor Weiß specializes in Bavarian history, regional history with particular focus on Franconia, and medieval history. His research interests include the history of bishoprics, particularly the Diocese of Bamberg, dynastic history of Bavarian noble families, church history, and the cultural heritage of Bavaria. He has made significant contributions to the Germania Sacra project, documenting the history of ecclesiastical territories in Germany. His methodological approach combines archival research with regional studies to illuminate the complex interplay between local identities and broader political structures in medieval and early modern Europe.

As a dedicated mentor, Professor Weiß currently supervises nine doctoral candidates working on diverse topics including Bavarian followers of the Hohenstaufen, episcopal monasteries, historical atlases of Bavaria, and medieval economic history. He has successfully guided numerous students to completion of their dissertations on subjects ranging from grand duchesses of Tuscany to the counts of Bogen and power structures in the Bavarian Forest. His commitment to academic training extends through his leadership roles in multiple historical societies.

Professor Weiß serves in numerous academic leadership roles including as Scientific Director of the Society for Franconian History, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bavarian History Research Foundation, and 2nd Chairman of the Commission for Bavarian Regional History at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences. He is also actively involved in several editorial boards and research collaborations including the Germania Sacra project at the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and serves as co-editor of multiple academic publication series.