The Reichstag
Inside the Dome of the Reichstag Building in Berlin, Germany
(Photo: GISSEL RIOS)
Dictionaries Online
- Deutsches Wörterbuch (DWB)Widely considered to be the most comprehensive German-language dictionary, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm started compiling the Deutsches Wörterbuch (DWB) in 1838. The first volumes were published in 1854, and the DWB has since been revised and expanded. The digital edition is available for free online. UCLA also has a print copy available at the YRL Reference Reading Room, PF3625 .G7 1999, and a digitized copy is available in HathiTrust.
- Duden Wörterbuch"This online dictionary provides you with comprehensive information on the spelling, grammar and meaning of a word. It also shows the correct usage as well as the pronunciation and origin of a word and lists its synonyms."
- Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der hochdeutschen Mundart"Grammatical-critical dictionary of the high German dialect."
- The Pocket Oxford-Duden German Dictionary: English-German"Essential vocabulary, clear translations, usage and grammar help in this English-German dictionary."
- The Pocket Oxford-Duden German Dictionary: German-English"Essential vocabulary, clear translations, usage and grammar help in this German-English dictionary."
- Wortschatz Lexikon Deutsch"Portal of the University of Leipzig with a vocabulary database, which currently contains around 9 million different words and phrases in the German language."
- Duden-Werke This link opens in a new window
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The Duden Package includes the following dictionaries: Das große Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, Deutsches Universalwörterbuch, Die deutsche Rechtschreibung, Das Synonymwörterbuch, Das Herkunftswörterbuch, Richtiges und gutes Deutsch, Wörterbuch medizinischer Fachbegriffe, Recht A-Z, Das große Fremdwörterbuch, Wirtschaft von A bis Z, Lexikon der Vornamen, Wörterbuch der Abkürzungen, Familiennamen, Das große Wörterbuch der Zitate und Redewendungen, Geographische Namen in Deutschland, Das neue Wörterbuch der Szenesprachen, Wörterbuch der New Economy.
Encyclopedias and General Reference Online
- Austria Forum—Das Wissensnetz aus ÖsterreichAustria Forum is "the knowledge network from Austria." it includes a variety of general reference resources, including but not limited to digitized books and essays; pictures, videos, maps, and statistics; biographical entries; and entries on other topics like science and nature, arts and culture, industry, geography, and more.
- German Studies WebScholarly resources compiled by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), European Studies Section (ESS).
- Johann Heinrich Zedlers grosses vollständliges Universallexikon aller Wissenschaften und Künste"The Universal Lexicon published by Johann Heinrich Zedler is by far the most extensive encyclopedic work that was produced in Europe in the 18th century...The version of the Universal Lexicon published here was digitized and made accessible in terms of content in a project of the Bavarian State Library funded by the German Research Foundation between 1999 and 2001. Since then, the approx. 284,000 entries of the Zedler can be found individually, as well as the approx. 276,000 references."
- Open Access Resources in German StudiesResources compiled by the Brigham Young University Library.
- Zeitschriften Datenbank (ZDB)Central catalog of journal titles, magazines, newspapers, databases, websites, and other holdings in German libraries provided by the Institut für Zeitungsforschung.
- Lexikon des Mittelalters & International Encyclopaedia for the Middle Ages This link opens in a new window
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The Lexikon is the standard encyclopaedia for medieval studies. It deals with all branches of the field and covers the period from AD 300 to 1500 for the whole of Europe and parts of the Middle East and North Africa. The International Encyclopaedia is an English language supplement to the Lexikon. - Oxford Reference This link opens in a new window
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Spans 25 different subject areas, bringing together 2 million digitized entries across Oxford University Press’s Dictionaries, Companions and Encyclopedias. UC subscription allows limited simultaneous users, so if you can't connect try again later.
- Reference Universe This link opens in a new window
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A good place to start, but note that it is an index to over 15 million articles in 11,000 subject encyclopedias and handbooks, both print and online and does not provide full-text articles. Instead, it will connect you to our catalog so you know where to find the appropriate encyclopedia, dictionary or other reference work. You will be linked to UCLA's holdings for any entries you find.
Bibliographies Online
- Deutsche NationalbibliografieThe German National Bibliography, which can be accessed for free via the German National Library catalog. The catalog serves as an initial bibliographic index and contains the entire library holdings. Of those, approximately 1.6 million publications are freely available online; filter to "Alle Standorte—Online (frei zugänglich)" in the results list.
- Jahresberichte für Deutsche GeschichteSearchable bibliography of German history.
- Österreichische BibliografieThe Austrian bibliography, published by Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (the Austrian National Library).
- Swiss National Library BibliographiesOnline and PDF access to "The Swiss Book," Bibliography of Swiss History, and Literature Bibliographies.
- Bibliographie der deutschen Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft (BDSL) This link opens in a new window
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Complete bibliography of German literature and language. Includes citations of books, articles, book chapters. (Similar to the MLA International Bibliography.)
- International Medieval Bibliography This link opens in a new window
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Interdisciplinary bibliography of Europe, North Africa and the Near East for the period 300-1500. Comprehensive current bibliography of articles in journals and miscellany volumes (conference proceedings, essay collections or Festschriften) worldwide.
Biographies Online
- World Biographical Information System Online (WBIS) This link opens in a new window
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Contains biographical profiles of people from all centuries as well as all countries and regions worldwide. Compiles biographical articles from printed reference works published from the 16th to the 20th century, and reproduces these original documents as facsimile images on the screen.
Folklore Online
- World Folklore and Folklife This link opens in a new window
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Thousands of classic folk tales, including the complete Hans Christian Andersen stories, Grimms' fairy tales, and folktales from around the world. Contextual material adds new depth to familiar stories.
Literature Online
- The Cambridge History of German LiteratureWatanabe-O'Kelly, Helen.; Cambridge University Press.; Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1997. Available online (full-text) and at Powell Library PT91 .C36 1997.
- Der Literarische Expressionismus Online (De Gruyter)German Literary Expressionism Online, edited by Paul Raabe. "The database provides access to the contributions of 151 journals from the early 20th century in full text. Available are approx. 40,000 contributions from over 5,000 different authors. All in all the database contains over 79,000 digitized pages."
- The Oxford Companion to German LiteratureGarland, Henry B. (Henry Burnand); Garland, Mary.; Oxford [England] ; New York : Oxford University Press, 1997. Available at Young Research Library PT41 .G183o 1997.
- Gale Literature This link opens in a new window
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Searches multiple literary sources, including: Dictionary of Literary Biography, Literature Criticism Online, Literature Resource Center, Scribner Writer Series, and Twayne's Authors Series. Scroll down to click on Gale's Literary Index, a master index to the major literature products published by Gale.
- Gale Literature Criticism This link opens in a new window
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Searchable database that provides access to the literary criticism collections Classical and Medieval Literary Criticism (CMLC), Contemporary Literary Criticism (CLC), Drama Criticism (DC), Literature Criticism from 1400-1800 (LC), Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism (NCLC), Poetry Criticism (PC), Shakespeare Criticism (SC), Short Story Criticism (SSC), and Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism (TCLC). - Gale Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new window
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Biographies, bibliographies, and critical analysis of authors from every age and literary discipline. Covers more than 120,000 novelists, poets, essayists, journalists, and other writers. Combines the core Gale Group literary databases: Contemporary Authors, Contemporary Literary Criticism, and Dictionary of Literary Biography. Complements Literature Criticism Online.
Reference Works in Print
- Brockhaus Enzyklopädie: In Vierundzwanzig BändenF.A. Brockhaus Wiesbaden (Firm); Mannheim : F.A. Brockhaus, 1986-c1996. YRL Reference Reading Room, AE27 .B78 1986
- Der Taschengoedeke. Bibliographie deutscher Erstausgaben.Hirschberg, Leopold, 1867-1929.; Friedrichs, Elisabeth.; (München) Deutscher Taschenbuch-Verl., 1970. Young Research Library, Z2231 .H61t 1970.
- Deutsches Literatur-Lexikon; biographisch-bibliographisches Handbuch.Kosch, Wilhelm, 1879-1960.; Berger, Bruno, 1902-; Rupp, Heinz, 1919-1994.; Bern, München : Franke, 1968-2019. Available at YRL Reference Reading Room, PT41 .K84d 1968.
- Deutsches Wörterbuch: Bedeutungsgeschichte und Aufbau unseres WortschatzesPaul, Hermann, 1846-1921; Henne, Helmut; Kämper, Heidrun; Objartel, Georg; Tübingen: M. Niemeyer, 2002. Young Research Library, PF3625 .P328 2002.
- Germanistik (Tübingen, Germany)Tübingen, M. Niemeyer. 1960. Available at SRLF—Building Use Only, v. 1-48 (1960-2007), v. 49-50 (2008-2009).
- Gesamtverzeichnis des deutschsprachigen Schrifttums (GV), 1911-1965Oberschelp, Reinhard.; Gorzny, Willi.; München : Verlag Dokumentation, 1976-1981. v.1-150, available at SRLF.
- Gesamtverzeichnis des deutschsprachigen Schrifttums (GV) 1700-1910, NachträgeSchmuck, Hilmar.; Gorzny, Willi.; München ; New York: K.G. Saur, 1987. v.1 available at YRL Reference Reading Room, Z2221 .G47 1979 sup.
- Informationshandbuch Deutsche LiteraturwissenschaftBlinn, Hansjürgen. Frankfurt am Main: Fischer, 1994. Available at SRLF, PT85 .B58i 1994.
- Kindlers Neues Literatur LexikonRadler, Rudolf, 1934-; München : Kindler, c1988-1998. Available at YRL Reference Reading Room, PN44 .K55 1988.
- Kürschners Deutscher Gelehrten-KalenderBerlin; New York: de Gruyter, 1996; since 2001 published by K.G. Saur. YRL Reference Reading Room, Z2230 .K933 (latest edition only: 2009).
- Lexikon der deutschen GeschichteTaddey, Gerhard.; Stuttgart : Kröner, 1983. YRL Reference Reading Room, DD84 .L591 1983.
- Literaturlexikon: Autoren und Werke deutscher SpracheKilly, Walther.; Gütersloh : Bertelsmann Lexikon, c1988-1993. Available at Young Research Library, PT41 .L5 1988.
- Literaturrecherche für GermanistenHansel, Johannes; Kaiser, Lydia; Berlin: E. Schmidt, 2003. Young Research Library, PF3071 .H36 2003.
- Metzler Literatur Chronik: Werke deutschsprachiger AutorenMeid, Volker, 1940-; Stuttgart: Metzler, 1993. YRL Reference Reading Room, PT85 .M44 1998.
- Neues Handbuch der deutschsprachigen Gegenwartsliteratur seit 1945Kunisch, Hermann, 1901-1991.; Moser, Dietz-Rüdiger.; Ernst, Petra.; München: Deutscher Taschenbuch, 1993. Young Research Library, PT155 .K962h 1993.
- The Oxford-Duden German Dictionary: German-English, English-GermanThyen, O. (Olaf); Clark, M. (Michael); Scholze-Stubenrecht, Werner; Sykes, J. B. (John Bradbury); Dudenredaktion (Bibliographisches Institut); Oxford University Press. Dictionary Department. German Section; Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. YRL Reference Reading Room, PF3640 .O94 1999.
- Quellenlexikon zur deutschen Literaturgeschichte : Personal- und Einzelwerkbibliographien der internationalen Sekundärliteratur 1945-1990 zur deutschen Literatur von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart = Bibliography of studies on German literary historySchmidt, Heiner.; Albrecht, Günter, 1930-; Schmidt, Heiner.; Duisburg: Verlag für Pädagogische Dokumentation, 1994-2003. YRL Reference Reading Room, Z2231 .S36 1994.
- Sachwörterbuch der LiteraturWilpert, Gero von.; Stuttgart: A. Kröner, 2001. YRL Reference Reading Room, PN41 .W68 2001.