Thomas Wegener Friis

Thomas Wegener Friis is an Associate Professor at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) and Director of the Center for Cold War Studies. He holds a PhD and is affiliated with the Department of Cultural and Linguistic Studies. His research focuses on Intelligence and Security history, Cold War dynamics, military history, and the German-Danish borderlands. Friis has been a guest professor/researcher at institutions such as the Bundeswehr Center for Military History and the Institute for National Remembrance in Warsaw.

• Affiliations: Executive Director of the International Intelligence History Association, member of 20+ editorial boards and advisory councils (e.g., Journal for Cold War Studies, Zagreb Security Forum).
• Projects: Led/participated in 14 funded projects including 'Polen-Danmark under den Kold Krig' (2017-2023) and 'Grænselandet i Efterretningstjenesternes søgelys' (2020-2025).

His research interests include Eastern Europe under communism, media disinformation during the Cold War, and GDR studies. He has published extensively on intelligence cooperation, borderlands intelligence, and Cold War terrorism.

Key achievements: Over 200 publications, 671 professional activities (including conferences/seminars), and leadership roles in major Cold War research networks. His work bridges historical analysis with contemporary security studies.