Kai Drewes

Dr. Kai Drewes serves as Head of the Infrastructure Group and leads the Digital History / Scientific Collections division at the Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space (IRS) in Erkner, Germany. With a doctorate in modern history completed in 2011, he specializes in contemporary history with emphasis on DDR architectural and planning history, archival science, and digital heritage preservation.

His research interests focus on DDR history, particularly urban planning, architectural documentation, and the socio-spatial transformation of East Germany. He examines architectural history through material culture including prefabricated housing systems (WBS 70), CAD development in socialist states, and architectural drawings. His digital history work explores cartographic analysis, migration patterns, and the digitization of physical collections. Additional expertise includes cultural heritage preservation of endangered archives and institutional collection building strategies.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals consistent focus on material evidence of socialist-era planning, with increasing attention to digital methodologies since 2020. His work bridges architectural history, archival science, and spatial social research, demonstrating interdisciplinary approaches to understanding DDR's built environment through primary sources ranging from architectural models to migration cartograms.

• Research Prize of the Foundation for Personal History (2014) for dissertation on Jewish nobility granting in 19th-century Europe

As division head since 2013 (Digital History / Scientific Collections since 2022), Drewes directs IRS's archival infrastructure while serving as deputy spokesperson for the Federation of German-speaking Architectural Collections (since 2019) and previously leading the Leibniz Association's Archives Working Group (2020-2024). His projects include 'Geschichte und Rezeption der Bauakademie der DDR' examining institutional history through interviews, and ongoing curation of the IRS's scientific collections containing unique DDR planning documents rescued from destruction.