Maarten van Rossem
Dutch historian (born 1943)
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Key Takeaways
- Maarten van Rossem (born 24 October 1943) is a Dutch historian, presenter, and social commentator.
- Van Rossem specializes in the history and politics of the United States.
- His public career began when he was invited to comment on the 1984 U.
- He regularly appears on TV and gives frequent public lectures.
- His early fascination with the United States began when his three American cousins visited his family, each carrying their own photo camera.
Maarten van Rossem (born 24 October 1943) is a Dutch historian, presenter, and social commentator. He is a professor emeritus of modern history at Utrecht University. Van Rossem specializes in the history and politics of the United States. As an expert on America, he is a frequent guest on television talk shows. His public career began when he was invited to comment on the 1984 U.S. vice-presidential elections. He regularly appears on TV and gives frequent public lectures.
Early life and education
Maarten van Rossem was born in 1943 in Zeist, and grew up in Wageningen, both in the Netherlands. His early fascination with the United States began when his three American cousins visited his family, each carrying their own photo camera. This experience led him to believe that all Americans were wealthy.
He attended grammar school in Wageningen, where he excelled in exact sciences. Initially, he enrolled in pharmacy studies at the Utrecht University due to his strong performance in chemistry. However, dissatisfied with the subject, he secretly switched to studying history—a decision met with opposition from his family, who feared it would lead to unemployment.
Despite growing up in a liberal environment, he joined the Labour Party in 1967.
His interest in the United States persisted, prompting him to collect newspaper clippings on Martin Luther King Jr., President Kennedy and the Chicago riots.
Van Rossem completed his studies after eight years, graduating with a master's degree cum laude. His senior thesis, supervised by historian Hermann von der Dunk, focused on the historiography of the Cold War. Through this research, he discovered his passion for writing, later reflecting, "You can say that at that point I became a historian."
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