History Professor Earns International Book Prize

History Professor Molly Loberg was recently awarded the Hans Rosenberg Book Prize for her book titled “The Struggle for the Streets of Berlin: Politics, Consumption, and Urban Space, 1914-1945.”

The Hans Rosenberg prize is presented each year by the Central European History Society for the best book in the field. Loberg accepted the award at the annual meeting of the American Historical Association in New York City in January. “The Struggle for the Streets of Berlin” focuses on the post-World War I metropolis and on how political and commercial entities fought for the attention of the city’s crowds through advertisements, posters, parades and violence. The prize committee praised Loberg’s new perspectives on Berlin’s iconic 1920s culture and her examination of subsequent Nazi uses of the city. The committee noted, “The Struggle for the Streets of Berlin” gains power from comparison to current-day struggles in other streets in cities all over the world.” Loberg has taught at Cal Poly since fall 2007 and has produced numerous acclaimed articles and presentations focusing on consumer culture and German history, among other subjects. Last quarter she spoke about “The Struggle for the Streets of Berlin” as part of the Kennedy Library’s Conversations with Cal Poly Authors series. The conversation can be heard here.