Michael Kißener can be considered as one of the leading experts of contemporary local history in Germany. Since 2003, he has established several distinct research areas at JGU: 1) Legal History of the 20th Century, 2) History of National Socialism and Resistance against National Socialism, 3) Contemporary History of Southwestern Germany. He has published more than 20 books and more than 100 articles in renowned journals, edited books and encyclopedias.
As GRC fellow, he will finish his project and book about the history of the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) from 1950 to 1965. In close cooperation with his colleague Andreas Roth from the Department of Legal Studies at JGU, he will publish a comprehensive history of Western Germany's highest court of ordinary jurisdiction in the early period of the Federal Republic of Germany.