Introduction
This work is intended as an introductory guide and handbook for researchers in the field of North American history and social sciences who plan a research trip to Germany or are already conducting research there. The guide focuses on major institutions in the field of Americana and provides researchers with the basic information needed to plan their work effectively. It includes references to numerous collections and holdings of materials related to North America in Germany and should prove especially useful to German or scholars from any country in the world who wish to conduct primary research in Germany.
In the 1970s the French and British set out to improve access to Americana in their respective archives and libraries by publishing guides for scholars (Madeline, Astorquia et al, Guide des Sources de l' Histoire des Etats-Unis dans les archives française. Paris, 1976; and John W. Raimo, ed. [under the general supervision of Dennis Welland], A Guide to Manuscripts Relating to America in Great Britain and Ireland. Westport, Conn., 1979). The Germans, by contrast, until now had no comparable guide to their resources, except for two short-and now outdated-guides published in the 1920s (Marion Dexter Learned, Guide to the Manuscript Materials Relating to American History in the German State Archives. Washington, D.C., 1912; and List of Manuscripts Concerning American History Preserved in European Libraries. Washington, D.C., 1925). Unfortunately, the information provided was far from complete; to further complicate things, a number of collections listed in these earlier guides have been rearranged or transferred to other sites. Some collections did not survive World War II.
The best reference book on material related to North America held in Germany is, of course, the five-volume Americana in deutschen Sammlungen, which was compiled at the Anglo-American Institute of Cologne University in the late 1950s on behalf of the German Society of American Studies. It was published, i.e., photocopied, in 1967, and a few copies can still be found in very large libraries in Germany and the United States. With its several thousand pages, this bulky reference guide is not easily accessible and indeed not even known to most scholars working in the field of North American history in Germany. Furthermore, it contains only the archives and libraries located in the former West Germany and is therefore incomplete.
In contrast to previous guides, this guide contains information on as many archives and libraries as possible from all over Germany. It lists not only federal and state archives, but also city, district, church, and private depositories throughout the country, so long as they hold important material concerning American history.
Altogether, the 223 archives included here offer a wealth of information on a great number of topics. A large number of records listed in this guide concern German emigration to the United States and Canada from the eighteenth century to the present, and sources regarding political relations between Germany and the United States, particularly for the period of American occupation following World War II. There also are records on international church relations and the history of the ecumenical movement; on American academic institutions and foundations; and on transatlantic student exchange and visiting professorships. A vast number of primary sources deal with economic, trade, and business relations, and with such issues as German private property in North America and copyrights and trademarks. Some of the archives and libraries in Germany also hold collections relating to social history; for example, there are records on the women's movement in the United States and Canada, and on the student and peace movements.
The categories of primary sources range from official documents to private correspondence, diaries, maps, and posters. In some instances rare books or magazines also have been included.
The entries in this guide are brief and to the point; they are not intended to be comprehensive, but we are confident that they will provide a useful basis for research.
The guide is arranged by city, and within each city entry the archives are listed alphabetically. The institutional entries consist, insofar as available, of the address, opening hours, contact person, telephone, fax, e-mail address, and Web site, and also include information about holdings, use, catalogues, and notes on additional features or idiosyncrasies.
Throughout, the editors assumed that users of this guide would speak English and German. Consequently, the general description of collections is in English, whereas references to specific sources reflect the language in which the documents were written.
The data in this guide are drawn from questionnaires sent to archives and libraries between 1998 and 2000. To supplement the questionnaires, the editors used printed sources, such as library and archival guides. Although a number of archives did not respond, we believe that all major archives holding American sources are covered here.
The editors would like to thank the archivists and libraries in Germany who took the time to respond and provide the information for making this guide as complete as it is. We also would like to thank Professor Reinhard R. Doerries and Professor Arnold Price, who pointed out years ago that Germans should publish a brief and easily accessible guide to their archival holdings.
Several individuals assumed responsibility for the overall quality of the text of the guide as it neared completion. Alexander Merrow and Lindsay McClellan helped proofread and edit the text during their internship at the GHI. Jennifer Rodgers reviewed and corrected the manuscript during her months at the GHI, adding English translations to German terminology, and Jan Eckel carried out substantive editing during the final phase of production, when he interned at the GHI. He also indexed the entire volume-an impressive work that will make this guide especially useful. We would also like to thank Bärbel Thomas and Christa Brown, Dr. Malve Burns, and particularly Annette M. Marciel, who expertly addressed the details of technical editing, coordinated the publication process, prepared the final electronic text, and ensured the quality of the final manuscript.
The editors made every effort to avoid mistakes and omissions; we understand, however, that errors are inevitable and ask users to note and report them to us so that we may continue to improve this guide. Although we do not expect that an updated version of this guide will be printed in the near future, we will do everything to ensure that the electronic version will be continuously updated on the GHI's Web site, at www.ghi-dc.org.
Washington, D.C., December 2000
Christof Mauch
Thomas Reuther
Christof Mauch, Dr. phil. (1990, Tübingen), Dr. phil. habil. (1998, Cologne) has been the Acting Director of the GHI since 1999. He teaches British and American History at the University of Cologne.
Thomas Reuther, Dr. phil. (1997, Heidelberg) currently is the personal assistant to the president of the University of Dortmund.