Robert Meier

Dr. Robert Meier serves as a Lecturer at the Chair of Modern History within the Institute of History at the University of Würzburg. His academic work focuses primarily on Early Modern History, with special emphasis on witch trials, regional history of Franconia (particularly Wertheim), and the historical figure Julius Echter, the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg.

His research interests encompass Early Modern History, Witch Trials and Persecution, Regional History, Archival Science, Local History of Franconia, Historical Source Studies, Julius Echter Studies, and Paleography. Meier has published extensively on these topics, with works spanning from the 1990s to 2016, demonstrating his sustained scholarly engagement with Early Modern German history.

Meier's recent publications reveal a consistent focus on witch trials, archival sources, and regional history. His work often examines the intersection of religious authority, legal systems, and everyday life in Early Modern Germany. Notably, he has contributed significantly to reevaluating historical perceptions of Julius Echter, challenging simplistic narratives about this historical figure's role in witch persecutions.

• "50 tote Hexen. Ein Beitrag zur Genese der Vorstellung vom Hexenverfolger Julius Echter" (2016)
• "Alles anders als gedacht? Julius Echter und die Hexenverfolgung" (2015)
• "Wie fanatisch war Julius Echter?" (2015)

Meier has also embraced digital humanities through projects like "www.1720wuerzburg.de - ein Blog zur Geschichte Unterfrankens im Jahr 1720" (2016) and "History Blogging. Wie mit Archivalien im Web erzählt werden kann" (2015), demonstrating his commitment to making historical research accessible to broader audiences. His teaching focuses on paleography, archival science, and historical source studies related to the Early Modern Period, particularly through courses examining witch trial sources and archival documentation techniques.