German History in Documents and Images 2.0: Editing a Primary Source Collection for the Digital Age
Sep 26, 2025 | 1:45pm - 3:35pm ET
Roundtable at at the 49th annual conference of the German Studies Association, Arlington, VA | Arlington Salon 1 | Speakers: Simone Laessig (GHI Washington), Pamela Swett (McMaster University), Jonathan Wiesen (University of Alabama at Birmingham), and James Retallack (University of Toronto); moderator: Insa Kummer (German Historical Institute)
To mark the relaunch of our popular teaching resource German History in Documents and Images, or GHDI, the GHI Washington is sponsoring a roundtable discussion featuring three of the project’s volume editors and outgoing GHI Director Simone Lässig.
The increasing availability of digitized primary sources has both enriched and complicated the teaching of history. Digitized resources, ranging from newspapers, letters and diaries to photographs, radio broadcasts, film clips, maps, and government documents, can help students understand individual assessments of and responses to historical events as they unfolded. As a teaching resource that chronologically presents primary sources reflecting the course of German history from 1500 to the present, GHDI does not intend to suggest a “master narrative” of German history. Instead, users, whether they are teachers, students or interested members of the public, are encouraged to consider the editorial choices underlying any primary source collection.
Our roundtable discussion will explore the challenges and opportunities that arise in the process of editing a digital source collection designed as a resource for teaching. Participants will discuss best practices for fostering critical thinking skills among students through the analysis of different types of primary sources as well as the technological and logistical challenges editors face when selecting digitized primary sources for their respective volumes. The roundtable will highlight the role an edited source collection such as GHDI can play in teaching students to analyze primary sources critically, to assess authenticity, bias, and context, and to help them apply these skills to broader historiographical narratives.
We believethis roundtable will be valuable for history educators, curriculum designers, and digital resource specialists seeking to explore the opportunities and challenges of working with digitized primary resources. We are hoping for a stimulating conversation on where digital source collections might go next.