Born in 1948, Karl Schlögel studied Philosophy, Sociology and East European History in West-Berlin. Professor emeritus of East European History at European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder).

Earlier published works are Moskau lesen (1984) and Terror und Traum. Moskau 1937 (2008). His most recent publication in German is American Matrix (2023). In English: Moscow 1937 (Polity Press 2012), The Scent of Empires. Chanel No 5 and Red Moscow (Polity Press 2021), Ukraine. A Nation on the Borderland (Reaktion Books 2022) and The Soviet Century. Archeology of al Lost World (2023). 

Among his awards are the Lessing-Preis der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg (2005), Leipziger Buchpreis zur Europäischen Verständigung (2009), Samuel-Bogumil-Linde-Preis (2010, together with Adam Krzemiński), Preis der Leipziger Buchmesse (2018) and Gerda Henkel Preis (2024).