German Studies: Reference Works for Germanic Languages and Literature

German Literature

Note: all print reference works listed on this page are located in Butler 301/310 unless otherwise indicated.

Library Databases

Print Encylopedias and Guides

Biographical Reference Works

Print Bibliographies

General Bibliographies

Bibliographies by Period

Middle Ages

Renaissance 15th and 16th Centuries

Baroque 17th Century

Enlightenment/Classicism 18th Century

Romanticism 19th Century

Modern 20th Century

First Editions

German-Jewish Authors

Women Authors

Current Bibliography

Bibliographies by Genre

Fiction

Poetry

Book Review Index

Print Guides to Periodicals

Bibliographies of Periodicals

  • Diesch, Carl. Bibliographie der germanischen Zeitschriften. Neudr. 1927. Stuttgart: Hiersemann, 1970. R016.05 D5621
  • Dietzel, Thomas. Deutsche Literarische Zeitschriften 1880-1945. Ein Repertorium. 5 v. München: Saur, 1988. R016.0543 D568
  • Estermann, Alfred. Die deutschen Literatur-Zeitschriften 1815-1850. Nendeln: Karus-Thamson, 1977-1981. R016.0543 Es 853
  • Estermann, Alfred. Die deutschen Literatur-Zeitschriften 1850-1880. München. R016.83 Es85
  • Kirchner, Joachim. Bibliographie der Zeitschriften des deutschen Sprachgebietes bis 1900. v.1-3, 4, pt.1 Stuttgart: Hiersemann, 1966. R106.0543 K633

Periodical Indexes

  • Bibliographie der deutschen Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft. Frankfurt M: Klostermann, 1957- v.1-37. R016.83 B473
  • Germanistik: internationales Referatenorgan mit bibliographischen Hinweisen. Tubingen: Niemeyer, 1960- R016.83 G371
  • MLA International bibliography of books and articles. New York: Modern Language Association of America 1921- R016.8 M72 (Also available on CLIO+ and the Web)
  • The Year's work in modern language studies. London: Cambridge University Press, 1930- R016.8 Y33 Similar to MLA but more focused on UK and the continent.

Bibliographies of Periodicals

Dictionaries of Literature

Berger, Bruno. Deutsches Literatur-Lexikon (DDL) Biographisch-Bibliographisches Handbuch. 3d ed. 18 v; Suppl. 6 v. Bern: Francke, 1968 R016.83 K84111

Die Deutsche Literatur. Biographisches und bibliographisches Lexikon. Reihe 2: Abt. A, Bd 1 Bern: Lang, 1979-- R016.83 D48. Monumental reference work still in progress. Organized into six time periods, each divided into two sections: Abteilung A: Authors, with biographical and critical essays, and Abteilung B: Research Literature Lexicon, containing secondary materials.

Garland, Henry B. The Oxford companion to German literature. 3rd. ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997. Excellent quick-check source for biographies of authors, plot summaries, short bibliographies, etc.

Kritisches Lexikon zur deutschsprachigen Gegenwartsliteratur (KLG) München: Edition Text + Kritik, 1978- R830.3 K89 Looseleaf. Arranged alphabetically by author. Each entry contains a biographical sketch, critical essay and bibliography of writings.

Kunisch, Hermann. Neues Handbuch der deutschen Gegenwartsliteratur seit 1945. München: Nymphenburger, 1980. R043 K962

Kurschners Deutsche Literatur-Kalender. v. 5-60. Berlin: de Gruyter, 1897- R043.W493 Good source for living authors. Kept up to date with annuals. Includes addresses, agents, obituaries.

Kutzbach, Karl August. Autorenlexikon der Gegenwart. Bonn: Bouvier, 1950- GLX Z2230 .K95 Good source for authors after 1945. Includes awards, obituaries.

Reallexikon der deutschen Literaturwissenschaft. Berlin: De Gruyter, 1997- R830.3 R229