Tobias Straumann

Tobias Straumann is a full professor of modern and economic history at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Zurich, with a dual appointment as a lecturer at the Department of Economics. He serves as the academic director of the Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Applied History and is a member of the UZH Center for Crisis Competence. His academic career bridges historical scholarship and economic analysis, with a particular focus on financial and monetary history.

Straumann's research primarily explores the interplay between economic crises, institutions, and politics, with special attention to financial and monetary history, the history of Swiss multinational companies, and the political economy of Switzerland. His work demonstrates how historical understanding can illuminate contemporary economic challenges, particularly in times of financial instability. He has established himself as a leading scholar on 20th century economic crises, with particular expertise on the 1931 financial crisis that contributed to Hitler's rise to power.

His publications reveal a consistent focus on how debt crises, monetary policy decisions, and international financial relations have shaped political outcomes throughout modern history. His most notable work, '1931: Debt, Crisis, and the Rise of Hitler' (Oxford University Press, 2019), examines how Germany's financial collapse in 1931 contributed to the downfall of the Weimar Republic and paved the way for Nazi ascendance. His research shows how inflexible international debt arrangements can create political instability when economic conditions deteriorate.

• '1931 – Debt, Crisis, and the Rise of Hitler' (Oxford University Press, 2019)
• 'Unruhe im Kleinstaat – Der schweizerische Generalstreik von 1918 im internationalen Vergleich' (Schwabe Verlag, 2022, with Martin A. Senn)
• 'Out of Hitler's Shadow: Debt, Guilt, and the German Economic Miracle' (forthcoming from Oxford University Press, 2025)
• 'The London Debt Agreement of 1953' (forthcoming from Oxford University Press)

Beyond his academic work, Straumann actively engages with the public through a regular column in the business section of 'NZZ am Sonntag,' demonstrating his commitment to applying historical insights to contemporary economic issues. His research has gained significant recognition, with his 2019 book receiving praise from prominent historians and economists including Adam Tooze (Financial Times) and Harold James (Princeton University), who described it as 'a stunning, fast-paced and deeply researched narrative that accurately delineates the links between financial panic and political collapse.'