Library Guides: German Language and Literature: Background Information

Overview of German Language and Literature

German language and literature comprises the literary, linguistic and cultural record of historical and contemporary German-speaking Europe, as well as resources for its study and interpretation.

Professional Associations

Professional associations are organizations devoted to the cultivation of professional interests and scholarship in their field.

AATG (American Association of Teachers of German)
An organization dedicated to the advancement and improvement of the language, literature, and culture of the German-speaking countries.
AATG, Indiana Chapter
The Indiana Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of German.
ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages)
An organization of more than 7,000 foreign language educators and administrators from elementary through graduate education, as well as government and industry.
Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung
A non-profit foundation established by the Federal Republic of Germany for the promotion of international research cooperation.
DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst/German Academic Exchange Service)
DAAD is a private, publicly funded, self-governing organization of higher education institutions in Germany. It promotes international academic relations and cooperation by offering mobility programs primarily for students and faculty, but also for administrators and others in the higher education realm.
DANK (Deutsch Amerikanischer National Kongress)
The German-American National Congress is the largest organization of Americans of German descent, with some 30 chapters and over 100 associated members.
German Studies Association
The German Studies Association is the national and international association of scholars in all fields of German Studies. Its interests span the period from early times to the present Federal Republic of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Goethe-Institut
The Goethe-Institut is a cultural institution of the Federal Republic of Germany, with offices worldwide. It promotes the study of German abroad and encourages international cultural exchange. It fosters knowledge about Germany by providing information on its culture, society and politics.
MLA (Modern Language Association)
The MLA is the primary professional organization representing the disciplines within language and literature.
Modern Austrian Literature and Culture Association
The MALCA seeks to stimulate interest in and promote study and research of modern Austrian literature and culture.

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Dictionaries are most often collections of words in one or more specific languages, usually arranged in alphabetical order, providing information like word meanings, usage, etymology, and, when they contain more than one language, translations. Some dictionaries include information more commonly found in encyclopedias. Encyclopedias are collections of information on terms, figures, eras, locations also arranged alphabetically, and, alongside definitions of terms, they also include more in-depth general information on a topic. Encyclopedias can be general or subject-specific.

Duden online This link opens in a new window
This resource allows cross resource searching from the following Duden dictionaries: Deutsches Universalwörterbuch -- Das grosse Fremdwörterbuch -- Das Synonymwörterbuch -- Zitate und Redewendungen -- Wörterbuch der Abkürzungen -- Lexikon der Familiennamen -- Medizinische Fachbegriffe -- Wörterbuch der New Economy -- Lexikon Wirtschaft A-Z -- Die deutsche Rechtschreibung -- Das Herkunftswörterbuch -- Richtiges und gutes Deutsch -- Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache -- Lexikon der Vornamen -- Lexikon Geographische Namen -- Wörterbuch der Szenesprachen -- Lexikon Recht A-Z.

German-English/English-German Online Dictionary
LEO (Link Everything Online) is a German-English and English-German online dictionary with over 400,000 entries plus several other German dictionaries.

Literary encyclopedia This link opens in a new window
Provides profiles of the lives and works of important world authors whose works are available in English. Includes coverage of English, American, Canadian, German and Russian literatures with growing coverage of French, Italian, Japanese, Classical Greek, Latin, Hispanic and East European literatures.
Oxford Language Dictionaries Online This link opens in a new window
Fully searchable bilingual (with English) dictionaries for Chinese, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish. Look up words and phrases and get translations. Usage info: Licensed for 3 simultaneous users.

Pocket Oxford German dictionary (English-German) (4 ed.)
Essential vocabulary, clear translations, usage and grammar help in this English-German dictionary.
Pocket Oxford German dictionary (German-English) (4 ed.)
Essential vocabulary, clear translations, usage and grammar help in this German-English dictionary.

Guides, Handbooks & Finding Aids

Reference resources like Handbooks, Guides, and Manuals provide subject-specific, sometimes technical information to aid in understanding important aspects of the discipline or subject that they treat. Finding Aids are useful for finding information within libraries, archives, or specific collections.

German Studies (ACRL, European Studies Section)
Scholarly resources in German Studies, including all German-speaking countries. The resources organized here are all freely available and have undergone a selection and evaluation process.
Open Access Resources in German Studies (BYU)
A partial and selective inventory of open access materials for German Studies. A resource may appear in more than one category.
The German Studies Collaboratory
The GSC is a virtual hub of resources for those interested in German language, art, culture, and history. The project offers links to existing materials found on the ‘net, including teaching resources, scholarly lectures, and research materials

Johns Hopkins guide to literary theory & criticism This link opens in a new window
A full-text searchable database of articles on individual critics and theorists, critical and theoretical schools and movements, and the critical and theoretical innovations of specific countries and historical periods.

German Language and Literature

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Professional Associations

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Guides, Handbooks & Finding Aids