He is a specialist in comparative studies of modern international relations between the United States, the Middle East, and Europe.

Born in 1955 in Magdeburg, Schwanitz lived for seven years in Cairo, Egypt, as his parents were diplomats.

In Berlin he headed the research group on Middle Eastern history at the Academy of Sciences.

After German reunification, he worked (1990–95) at the Modern Orient Center — founded by the Max Planck Society of Munich — and published books on relations between Germany and the Middle East.

[1] In Princeton, he finished two volumes on the history of Germans in the Middle East after World War II.