Assess the role of historical empathy in challenging Leopold von Ranke’s empiricism in the construction of history BY PRIYA MEHRA, YEAR 12, 2021
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Historical empathy is a potential solution to the limitations of German historian Leopold von Ranke’s empiricist history, particularly von Ranke’s large-scale omission of the lower-class from the historical record. With connections to English historian R.G. Collingwood’s theory of historical imagination, historical empathy can be exercised to address this limitation, with historians such as Natalie Zemon Davis reflecting how it can be utilised to amplify often silenced voices in history. The value of historical empathy is also reflected in pieces of public history, such as Paul Keating’s 1992 Redfern Speech. However, historical empathy itself is limited, evident in the works of ancient Athenian historian Thucydides, and Australian selfproclaimed ‘storian’, Peter FitzSimons. Ultimately, in order to constitute a holistic construction of history, the notion of historical empathy must coexist with elements of von Ranke’s empiricist ideas.
As English historian John Cairns argues, “we cannot
Intended to facilitate a deeper understanding of history,
The primary concern of Rankean history is a continual
historical empathy exists as a possible bridge between
progression towards ‘truth’, with the historian being as
historians and the world of the past. The term ‘empathy’ is
objective as possible when utilising primary sources to
defined as “the ability to understand and share the feelings
construct history. However, although this definition is
of another”, but becomes more complex in the context
ascribed to von Ranke, it emerged largely posthumously,
of history, thus leading to the term ‘historical empathy’.
with many of his ideas continuing to remain ambiguous
This concept can be traced to the late 18th century, when
today, including the phrase “wie es eigentlich gewesen”.
German philosopher Johann Gottfried Herder (1744-1803)
Taken from von Ranke’s History of the Latin and Teutonic
formally applied the notion of einfühlen, or empathy, to
Nations (1824), the meaning of the phrase, as discussed
historiography. While there is continued debate, historical
by 20th century American historian Felix Gilbert, varies
empathy is generally the ability to view past events and
through nuanced translations, such as ‘what actually
people as a product of their respective context, using
happened’, compared to ‘what essentially happened’.
available evidence to understand societal and individual
Despite this definition-based debate, the essence of von
perspectives, values and beliefs. Especially when used
Ranke, as advocating for ‘truth’ and objectivity, is largely
alongside R.G. Collingwood’s theory of historical
agreed upon. Regarding methodology, von Ranke was
imagination, historical empathy undermines von Ranke’s
heavily reliant on predominantly written primary sources,
empiricist history, in offering a method to gain insight into
although he did use Serbian linguist Vuk Karadžić as a
the social, emotional and cultural aspects of history, rather
source of oral history when writing The History of Servia
than the rational. Despite this benefit, historical empathy
and the Servian Revolution (1829). A crucial element
is inherently limited, as it is impossible for historians to
of Rankean history, von Ranke’s insistence on primary
empathise with an ultimately irrecoverable past.
sources as the basis of historical method was highly
re-enact the actual thought of individuals in the past. We can try … to construct what we think that event was like … but the full re-enactment is beyond us”. Historical empathy is consequently limited in this sense, although it is still considered valuable in challenging elements of von Ranke’s empiricist history. The origins of this debate lie in the flaws of traditional empiricist history, which was formally established by German historian Leopold von Ranke (1795-1886). Born in Wiehe, in now Germany, von Ranke was encouraged to pursue historical study in the hope that, driven by his Lutheran beliefs, he would find the presence of God in past versions of humanity. Studying at the University of Leipzig in 1814, von Ranke experienced a 19th century Europe characterised by a divide between upper class élites and a largely illiterate lower-class. This context significantly influenced von Ranke’s writings as a historian, especially the formation of his theory of empiricist history.
Pymble Ladies’ College
