"The historian is a prophet looking backward"

The work of a historian shares surprising similarities with that of a prophet, but with a critical difference in orientation. A prophet is traditionally seen as someone who foretells the future by discerning underlying patterns or divine insight, attempting to predict the shape of things to come. In contrast, the historian stands facing the past, scrutinizing what has already transpired, yet employing methods strikingly similar to those of prophecy, interpreting events, seeking patterns, and extracting broader meanings or lessons. By calling the historian a prophet looking backward, Schlegel emphasizes the interpretive function: historians transform vast, chaotic masses of facts into coherent narratives, imbuing them with meaning and structure.

This act is not passive recording but active interpretation. Just as prophets search for signs and meanings in the world to warn or instruct their contemporaries, historians sift through evidence, discerning causes and consequences while providing insight not only into what happened, but why and how it matters. Their interpretations can serve as guides for the present and future, warning of the dangers of repeating mistakes or illuminating paths that led to progress or calamity. This process reveals that history is not a mere collection of dates and names, but a living dialogue between past and present.

Schlegel’s idea also hints at the inherent subjectivity in the craft. Every historian brings personal experience, perspective, and questions to their analysis, shaping the narrative as much as reporting it. They stand with the advantage of hindsight, yet do not have perfect objectivity or foresight. Their “prophecies” about the past inform contemporary understanding, identity, and decision-making. Thus, the historian creates meaning from the raw data of time, offering interpretations that may guide collective memory and cultural identity, just as prophets shape the hopes and fears of those who hear them speak. By looking backward with prophetic vision, historians give the past continued relevance and purpose.