Born in Hamburg, Vogel studied history, German language and literature, philosophy and education.
She received her doctorate in 1971 from the Historisches Seminar in Hamburg with a thesis on German policy towards Russia from 1900 to 1906, and her habilitation in 1981 in Hamburg with a thesis on the reform policies of the Prussian State Chancellor Karl August von Hardenberg (1810–1820).
From 1984 until her retirement in 2006, Vogel taught as Professor of Modern History at the University of Hamburg.
From 1985 to 1989, she worked in the Academic Senate and was also elected a member of the Gleichstellungsbeauftragte [de] during the same period.
Vogel war stellvertretende Vorsitzende der Historische Kommission beim SPD-Parteivorstand [de].