Collins Memorial Library: German Studies: Primary Sources

Primary Sources in German Studies

What you will use as primary sources in German Studies will depend on the context of your assignment:

An assignment on some aspect of German civilization could use art or film as primary sources.
An assignment for a German literature class would use literary texts as primary sources.
A class on contemporary popular German culture could use current magazines or newspapers.

ARTstor

Visual materials, including images, are examples of primary sources. There are many image collections in ARTstor that are pertinent to German Studies, including the Languages and Literature featured group which "highlights Artstor content related to languages and literature, including images of renowned authors and depictions of literary themes and characters, as well as contextual images that enhance understanding of the time periods and cultures shaping literary production."

Learn more about ARTstor collections relevant to Languages and Literature.

ARTstor
A digital library of images in the areas of art, architecture, the humanities, and social sciences, with a set of tools to view, present, and manage images.

German Language Newspapers & Magazines

Access World News
Find global information on topics related to business and economics, the environment, global issues, health, international studies, literature, performing and fine arts, politics and government, science, social issues, technology and more from a variety of news media featuring newspapers, videos and web-only content.
International Newsstream
Provides the most recent news content outside of the US and Canada, with archives which stretch back decades featuring newspapers, newswires, and news sites in active full-text format.
Nexis Uni (formerly LexisNexis Academic)
Access to news, business, governmental and legal sources.

German Films

Collins Library has a growing collection of German-language cinema on DVD and through streaming video platforms. You can also request DVDs from SUMMIT and other libraries via ILL.

Search by the film's title, by the author/creator, or do a keyword search on your topic in Primo to see which films are available.

Das Leben der Anderen / The Lives of Others by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Call Number: PT2708.E2 L43 2007 DVD Collection
ISBN: 9781424837427
Publication Date: 2006
Deutschland im Herbst = Germany in autumn by Multiple
Call Number: PT2671.L84 D48 2010 DVD Collection
ISBN: 9781565809130
Publication Date: 1978
Good Bye Lenin! by Wolfgang Becker
Call Number: Click on the title above for online access
Publication Date: 2004

Filmportal.de
A well-presented film website in German & English, although the German platform is more extensive. This project is coordinated by the Deutsches Filminstitut (German Film Institute), and provides details on German films, individuals and film companies.
Telescope Film
Offers a database of 450,000 films and series, with click through access to over 150 streaming services. Users can browse all films with the button in the header, and filter by streaming service, country, language, genre, and more or enter a search term in the search window. Find a film you want to watch? Just click through to the streaming service of your choice.

Selected Digital Collections and Primary Sources Online

EuroDocs: History of Germany
Links connect to European primary historical documents that are transcribed, reproduced in facsimile, or translated.
Internet History Sourcebooks
A collection of public domain and copy-permitted historical texts. Includes links to sources related to early Germans, the Enlightenment, 19th century Germany, Nazism, the Holocaust, and much more.
Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek
Funded by German federal, state, and local governments, this site serves as a portal to works from Germany's cultural and scientific institutions. Works include books, archival objects, images, film, music and sound. Copyright information and licensing rights will differ according to participating institutions. The site is searchable in German or English.
German History in Documents and Images
A comprehensive collection of primary source materials documenting Germany's political, social, and cultural history from 1500 to the present.
The German Propaganda Archive
Collection of English translations of propaganda material from Nazi Germany and the German Democratic Republic. Includes both propaganda itself and material produced for the guidance of propagandists.
Projekt Gutenberg
Collection of German-language literary texts.
ESS German Studies Research Guide
Links to scholarly web resources and sites of interest from the European Studies Section (ESS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries.

Puget Sound Archives & Special Collections, German Studies

The Archives & Special Collections collects, preserves, and makes available primary source material documenting life at the University as well as collections representing regional, national and international issues.

The Abby Williams Hill papers, 1880s-1930s, contain a daily journal, letters, and ephemera documenting the two years Hill spent in Germany in the early 20th century.

Geisberg, Max, The German single-leaf woodcut, 1500-1550.

Ausländer, Rose, Poems, 1989.

Archives & Special Collections Hours

The Archives & Special Collections is located on the second floor of the Collins Memorial Library.

Set up an appointment: We are open to researchers by appointment Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. To make an appointment, email archives@pugetsound.edu or book online.

We look forward to assisting you!