German Studies: Reference Works for Germanic Languages and Literature
Open Web Guides to Literature
German Literature
Note: all print reference works listed on this page are located in Butler 301/310 unless otherwise indicated.
Library Databases
- Bibliographie der deutschen Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft . This link opens in a new windowOnline version of an important bibliography of German literature.
- Kindlers Literatur Lexikon online . This link opens in a new windowOnline version of the comprehensive German language encyclopedia of world literature.
- Kritisches Lexikon zur deutschsprachigen Gegenwartsliteratur : KLG / Hermann Korte (Hg.) ; begrundet von Heinz Ludwig Arnold. This link opens in a new window
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Reference database for contemporary German-speaking authors. - Germanistik Online Datenbank . This link opens in a new window
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Online version of Germanistik, an international publication covering german language and literary studies. - International bibliography of book reviews : IBR This link opens in a new window
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An interdisciplinary index to book reviews published in scholarly journals, primarily in the social sciences and the humanities, including many European journals. - International bibliography of periodical literature : IBZ. This link opens in a new window
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Universal index of periodical literature covering basic research from all fields of knowledge, and is particularly strong in the humanities and the social sciences. - Osterreichische Bibliografie . This link opens in a new windowA listing of works published in Austria, including musical works and doctoral dissertations.
Print Encylopedias and Guides
Literaturrecherche für Germanisten : Studienausgabe by Call Number: PF3071 .H36 2003gPublication Date: 2003
Handbuch der österreichischen Literatur 1815-1945 by Call Number: Early Modern/Modern Europe Reading Rm, 504 Butler (Non-Circ) PT3817 .B546 2012gPublication Date: 2012
Biographical Reference Works
- Allgemeine deutsche Biographie (ADB)Call Number: R043 AL5Most important German biographical dictionary. Corresponds to Britain's Dictionary of national biography or the US's Dictionary of American biography. Not just literary figures.
Also available electronically through HathiTrust (see catalog record for link)
- ADB Online (Deutsche-Biographie)This site provides access to the on-line version of the General German Bibliography (ADB) and the New German Bibliography (NDB).
Print Bibliographies
General Bibliographies
- Grundriss zur Geschichte der deutschen Dichtung aus den Quellen byCall Number: R016.831 G541Publication Date: 1910-60 [v.1, 1916]Print version of the classic bibliography of German literature. Contains exhaustive listing of individual works, including multiple editions of each. Index at end of each volume, plus a new index vol.
- Grundriss zur Geschichte der deutschen Dichtung aus den Quellen byElectronic version (through Hathi Trust)
- Handbuch der deutschen Literaturgeschichte. 2. Abt., Bibliographien byCall Number: R016.83 H19Publication Date: 1969-Monographic series offering select bibliographies of individual periods and sometimes authors as well.
- Bibliographisches Handbuch des deutschen Schrifttums byCall Number: Z2231 .K6 1966gPublication Date: 1966Period arrangement.
- Bibliographisches Handbuch der deutschen Literaturwissenschaft, 1945-1969 byCall Number: R016.83 K84Includes literary criticism, both German and foreign.
Stoff-Und Motivgeschichte der Deutschen Literatur by Call Number: R016.83 Sch562Publication Date: 1976
Bibliographies by Period
Middle Ages
- Bibliographien zur deutschen Literatur des mittelaltersCall Number: Z2232 .B53Publication Date: 1966-81
Die deutsche Literatur des Mittelalters : VerfasserlexikonCall Number: R043 St21Publication Date: 1977-2007
- International medieval bibliography online . This link opens in a new window
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Covers all aspects of medieval studies within the date range of 400 to 1500.
Renaissance 15th and 16th Centuries
- Short-title catalogue of books printed in the German-speaking countries and German books printed in other countries from 1455 to 1600 now in the British Museum byCall Number: R015.43 B77Publication Date: 1962
- Bibliographie internationale de l'Humanisme et de la RenaissanceCall Number: R016.9406 B473Publication Date: 1965 -
Baroque 17th Century
Personalbibliographien zu den Drucken des Barock by Call Number: R016.83 D9223Publication Date: 1990-93- German Baroque literature; a catalogue of the collection in the Yale University LibraryCall Number: R016.83 F112Publication Date: 1958-69
Enlightenment/Classicism 18th Century
- Internationale Bibliographie zur deutschen Klassik 1750-1850Call Number: R016.83 In82Publication Date: 1964-2005
Romanticism 19th Century
- Romantic Movement; a selective and critical bibliography.Call Number: Butler Stacks: PE1 .E33 Suppl.; (incomplete) Offsite: R016.8 R663 (complete)Publication Date: 1936-98
Modern 20th Century
- Literaturlenkung im "Dritten Reich" : eine Bibliographie byCall Number: R016.83 H77Publication Date: 1993-94
Schriftsteller im Nationalsozialismus : ein Lexikon by Call Number: PT405 .S3186 2011gPublication Date: 2011- Deutsche sozialistische Literatur, 1918-1945 : Bibliographie der Buchveröffentlichungen byCall Number: R016.831 M499Publication Date: 1975
- Index Expressionismus; Bibliographie der Beiträge in den Zeitschriften und Jahrbüchern des literarischen Expressionismus, 1910-1925 byCall Number: R050 In2Publication Date: 1972
- Deutsche Exil-Literatur 1933-1945; eine Bio-Bibliographie byCall Number: R043 St451Publication Date: 1970
Zeitschriften und Anthologien des Expressionismus in Osterreich by Call Number: R016.83 W15ISBN: 359811222XPublication Date: 1995
Historical Dictionary of Postwar German Literature by Call Number: PT401 .G68 2009ISBN: 9780810859654Publication Date: 2009
First Editions
- Handbuch der Editionen : deutschsprachige Schriftsteller Ausgang des 15. Jahrhunderts bis zur Gegenwart byCall Number: R016.83 H194Publication Date: 1979
- Der Taschengoedeke. Bibliographie deutscher Erstausgaben. (Verb. Ausg. nach d. von Elisabeth Friedrichs durchges. u. erg. Neudruck).Call Number: Butler Stacks: Z2231.H67 1970Publication Date: 1970Also good source for anonyms and pseudonyms. New York Public Research Library has microfiche collection of all titles listed herein.
Erstausgaben deutscher Dichtung; eine Bibliographie zur deutschen Literatur, 1600-1990 by Call Number: Offsite: PT85 .W54 1992gPublication Date: 1992
German-Jewish Authors
Women Authors
- Bibliographie der deutschsprachigen FrauenliteraturCall Number: R016.83 B646Publication Date: 1995 -
Lexikon deutschsprachiger Schriftstellerinnen, 1800-1945 by Call Number: R016.83 B77Publication Date: 1986
An Encyclopedia of German Women Writers, 1900-1933 by Call Number: Butler Stacks: PT1141 .L495 1997Publication Date: 1997
Die deutschsprachige Schriftstellerinnen des 18. und 19. Jahrhunderts : ein Lexikon by Call Number: R043 F91Publication Date: 1981
Romane und Erzählungen deutscher Schriftstellerinnen um 1800 : eine Bibliographie mit Standortnachweisen by Call Number: Butler Stacks: Z2233.5.W6 G35 1993Publication Date: 1993- Lexikon deutscher Frauen der Feder; eine Zusammenstellung der seit dem Jahre 1840 erschienenen Werke weiblicher Autoren, nebst Biographieen der lebenden und einem Verzeichnis der Pseudonyme byCall Number: R016.83 P27Publication Date: 1898Available electronically via Gale 19th Century Collections Online: http://clio.columbia.edu/catalog/10765231
Also available via HathiTrust (see link on catalog page)
Current Bibliography
Bibliographies by Genre
Fiction
The Twentieth-Century German Novel by Call Number: Butler Stacks: Z2234.F4 O63 1989Publication Date: 1989
Poetry
- Die Rezeption mittelalterlicher deutscher Dichtung: eine Bibliographie ihrer Uberstzungen und Bearbeitungen seit der Mitte des 18. Jahrhunderts byCall Number: Butler Stacks: Z2232 .G75 1989Publication Date: 1989
- Bibliographie zur deutschen Lyrik nach 1945 byCall Number: Butler Stacks: Z2234.P7 P38 1977Publication Date: 1977
Book Review Index
- Internationale Bibliographie der Rezensionen wissenschaftlicher LiteraturCall Number: Offsite: R010.5 B472Publication Date: 1971-2000
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
- Bibliographie der germanistischen Zeitschriften byCall Number: R016.05 D5621Publication Date: 1927 (1970)
Deutsche literarische Zeitschriften, 1880-1945 : ein RepertoriumCall Number: R016.0543 D568Publication Date: 1988
Die Deutschen Literatur-Zeitschriften, 1815-1850 by Call Number: R016.0543 Es853Publication Date: 1977-81
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