Animal diseases are among the most drastic episodes of human existence. It is therefore no surprise that people have been dealing with the phenomenon of animal diseases for centuries. These individual and collective measures become tangible in various sources, such as economic documents like accounts, regulations, court records and visitation reports, but also in narrative texts such as annals and chronicles, in literary and artistic works or in textbooks and advice literature. Due to this wide variety of sources, the conference aims to analyse animal epidemics from several perspectives. The possible fields of research are not limited to veterinary medicine or economic and agricultural history.

Conference on animal diseases organised by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für geschichtliche Landeskunde am Oberrhein e.V. (AGLO) and the Department of Infection and Environmental Hygiene in Livestock at the University of Hohenheim

Argument

Animal diseases are among the most drastic episodes of human existence. Due to the importance of animal breeding, devastating epidemics can not only destroy the economic and nutritional basis of mankind, but also threaten its health in the form of zoonoses. The events of the past few years have clearly demonstrated this to us. It is therefore no surprise that people have been dealing with the phenomenon of animal diseases for centuries. These individual and collective measures become tangible in various sources, such as economic documents like accounts, regulations, court records and visitation reports, but also in narrative texts such as annals and chronicles, in literary and artistic works or in textbooks and advice literature. Due to this wide variety of sources, the conference aims to analyse animal epidemics from several perspectives. The possible fields of research are not limited to veterinary medicine or economic and agricultural history. Rather, approaches from administrative, art and cultural history, social and mental studies as well as animal history will be considered. The interplay between human and animal health (‘One Health’) also plays a decisive role. In order to better identify long-term developments, but also to highlight specific characteristics of individual phases, a long period of investigation is chosen, which includes the Late Middle Ages as well as the Early Modern Period and the Modern Age (1300–2000). Geographically, the focus is on the German South-West, although the states and regions neighbouring Baden-Württemberg will not be excluded and comparisons between the south-west and other regions are particularly welcome.

The conference will focus on four key questions:

(1) How were animal epidemics recognised and interpreted?

(2) To what extent and by what means were they combated?

(3) What measures were taken to prevent them?

(4) What effects did epidemics have on humans and human-animal relationships?

Presentations on individual types of disease or the effects of epidemics on the economy and society are just as welcome as lectures on the treatment of animal epidemics in literature and art, the development of their interpretation or the regulatory provisions and practical interventions such as vaccinations and mass culls taken by those in power.

Submission guidelines

The conference will take place on 17 and 18 September 2025 in Stuttgart (Germany).

We are looking for 30-minute presentations in German, English or French. Please send an abstract (250-500 words) and a short CV

by 30 November 2024

to: stefan.holz@la-bw.de.

Speakers will be reimbursed for travel and accommodation costs. The results of the conference will be published in ‘Oberrheinische Studien’ (Thorbecke Verlag) and made available open access after a moving wall of three years. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Stefan Holz.

Selection committee

• Prof. Dr. Ludwig Hölzle (University of Hohenheim),
• Dr. Stefan Holz (AGLO),
• Dr. Thorben Schilling (University of Hohenheim)