Law Libraries in Germany: An Introduction

Gerda Graf from Potsdam dealt with these problems in a lecture delivered at the 11th IALL Course in Heidelberg in 1991.

Other special libraries with law collections are included in this segment.

“Institute” and “research center” are equivalent translations of the German “Institut”. One expression, however, is used more in Great Britain, the other in the United States. In some universities institutes are called “seminars” (“Seminars”) for historical or local reasons.

There are also private law libraries (especially of law firms and commercial enterprises) in Germany, but in general these libraries are comparatively small and not of importance to the public.

Other older universities are located in Cologne, Darmstadt, Erlangen, Frankfurt, Freiburg, Giessen, Göttingen, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Kiel, Mainz, Mannheim, Marburg, Munich, Münster, Saarbrücken, Tübingen, and Würzburg.

The Law Department (“Fachbereich Rechtswissenschaft I”) of the University of Hamburg has no general law library but 18 institute libraries.

This library is also designated as the Central Library for Economics in the Federal Republic of Germany (“Zentralbibliothek der Wirtschaftswissenschaften in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland”).

Other newer universities with law faculties are located in Bremen, Hanover, Konstanz, Oldenburg, Osnabrück, Passau, Regensburg, and Trier.

Exceptions to this principal are increasing. Examples are the Center for European Legal Policy at the University of Bremen (“Zentrum für Europäische Rechtspolitik an der Universität Bremen”) and the Institute for Labour Law and Relations in the European Community at the University of Trier (“Institut für Arbeitsrecht und Arbeitsbeziehungen in der Europäischen Gemeinschaft der Universität Trier”).

In East Berlin, but not belonging to the university, there is still a library of the Law Institute of the former Academy of Science of the GDR (“Bibliothek des Instituts für Rechtswissenschaft der ehemaligen Akademia der Wissenschaften der DDR”) with about 26,000 volumes. This institute was previously called “Institut für Theorie des Staates und des Rechts der Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR”. The future of this library is not yet settled.

In Leipzig the old law collections form part of the University Library, while modern law literature is located in the Humanities and Social Sciences Library (“Zweigstelle für Geistesund Sozialwissenschaften”) of the University Library. The old law faculty library (“Juristisches Seminar”) was destroyed in 1943, during the Second World War.

The collection includes not only law books, but also extensive holdings on politics, administration, nd other subjects. Originally this library belonged to the former Academy for State and Law of the GDR (“Akademie für Staats- und Rechtswissenschaft der DDR”), founded in 1948 and renamed College for Law and Administration (“Hochschule für Recht und Verwaltung”) in 1990. It became the law faculty library of a new university (initially called “Brandenburgische Landeshochschule”) in January 1991. See also Kondritz, Arwed: Die Bibliothek der Hochschule für Recht und Verwaltung (Potsdam). In: 21 Recht, Bibliothek, Dokumentation 28-33 (1991).

This library consists of two parts: “Abteilung I” (private and criminal law) and “Abteilung II” (public law).

This library was founded in 1950 as an institute library. Its basis was a collection of books donated by the American Military Government in Germany. Director of the Institute and librarian was Prof. Wilhelm Wengler, Honorary Life Member of the IALL. In 1989 the institute was dissolved and the library was attached to the law department of the Free University.

Many of us will remember this library and its late librarian Dr. Klaus Menzinger (President of the IALL from 1983 to 1986) from th 25th IALL Anniversary at Freiburg in 1984.

See also Göden, Jürgen C.: Foreign and international law research centers in West Germany: The Max Planck Institutes. In: 76 Law Library Journal 464-481 (1983).

See also Schwietzke, Joachim: Das Max-Planck-Institut für ausländisches öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht und seine Bibliothek. In: Theke. Informationsblatt der Mitarbeiter im Bibliothekssystem der Universität Heidelberg 1985 Heft 2/3 pp. 36–46.

This translation is commonly used by the Max Planck Institute at Heidelberg. A more literal translation would be: Foreign Public Law and Public International Law.

“Berliner Stadtschloß”, a former Royal Palace on the Spree Island in Berlin.

See also The Library of the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Private Law, Hamburg. Information and regulations for visitors on the use of the Library. With a selected bibliography. Hamburg 1987. 15 p.; Pickron, John E.: The Library of the Max Planck Institute for Foreign and International Private Law, Hamburg, Germany: Experiences and observations as Visiting Librarian. In: 12 Arbeitsgemeinschaft für juristisches Bibliotheks- und Dokumentationswesen. Mitteilungen 60-70 (1982).

An alternative, preferred by some, is: Foreign Private and Private International Law.

Predecessor of the German Research Society (“Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft”).

See also Max-Planck-Institut für ausländisches und internationales Strafrecht. Bibliothek. Systematik des Kataloges. Stand: Oktober 1985. Freiburg i. Br. 1985. 139 p.

Another translation sometimes used by the Max Planck Institute at Freiburg is: for Foreign and International Penal Law.

See also Max-Planck-Institut für europäische Rechtsgeschichte, Frankfurt am Main. Die Bibliothek. Frankfurt a. M. 1986. 18 p.; Europäische Rechtsgeschichte in 130.000 Bänden. Einblick in die Bibliothek des Frankfurter Max-Planck-Institute. In: MPG-Spiegel. Aktuelle Informationen für Mitarbeiter und Freunde der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft 1988 no. 1 pp. 25-29.

Another 25,000 theses from the 17th and 17th century are on long-term loan for research purposes to the Max Planck Institute from the Municipal and University Library (“Stadt- und Universitätsbibliothek”) of Frankfurt.

“Bibliothek des Max-Planck-Instituts für ausländisches und internationales Patent-Urheber- und Wettbewerbsrecht”; 110,000 volumes in all, together with the affiliated Library of the Institute for Industrial Property and Copyright Law at the University at Munich (“Institut für gewerblichen Rechtsschutz und Urheberrecht der Universität München”).

“Bibliothek des Max-Planck-Instituts für ausländisches und internationales Sozialrecht”; 50,000 volumes.

However, the libraries of the foreign law institutes of universities usually confine themselves to collecting publications concerning foreign law, because every university holds collections of German law.

Regarding dala for periodicals, this has been donee for some time via the German Periodicals Data Bank (“Zeitschriftendatenbank”, “ZDB”) in Berlin. A printout, enlarged by an index to countries, of ZDB is available; it is entitled Verzeichnis rechtswissenschaftlicher Zeitschriften und Serien (VRZS) in ausgewählten Bibliotheken der Bundesrepublik Deutschland einschließlich Berlin (West). Union list of legal serials in selected libraries of the Federal Republic of Germany including Berlin (West). 3., wesentlich erweiterte Ausgabe. Band 1.2. München [etc.]: Saur 1990. XIII, 2628 p.

See also Holland, Claudia: Die Bibliotheken der obersten Gerichtshöfe der Bundesrepublik Deutschland einschließlich des Bundesverfassungsgerichts. Hausarbeit zur Prüfung für den höheren Bibliotheksdienst. Köln: Fachhochschule für Bibliotheks- und Dokumenationswesen 1989. V, 121 p. (Typewritten thesis for the academic library examination at the Library and Documentation School of Cologne.)—A publication of this thesis is planned; see no. 69 Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Parlaments- und Behördenbibliotheken. Mitteilungen 81 (1990).

Since 1965 librarians of both libraries have been editing and compiling the most exhaustive bibliography on German law, the Karlsruher Juristische Bibliographie, with Hildebert Kirchner as managing editor since 1970.

See also Kirchner, Hildebert: Die Bibliothek des Bundesgerichtshofs. In: No. 38 Mitteilungen der Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Parlaments- und Behördenbibliotheken 1-14 (1975); Pannier, Dietrich: Die Bibliothek des Bundesgerichtshofs. In: 21 Recht, Bibliothek, Dokumentation 40-44 (1991).

See Hauf, Margitta: Die Bibliothek des Obersten Gerichts der DDR. In: 21 Recht, Bibliothek, Dokumentation 24-27 (1991). This library consists of nearly 220,000 volumes and includes most of the library of the “Reichsgericht”, formerly in Leipzig and transferred to East Berlin after the end of the Second World War. See also Gericke, Ulrich: Zur Geschichte der Bibliothek des Obersten Gerichts der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik. In: 71 Zentralblatt für Bibliothekswesen 142-144 (1957).—On the planned transfer of this library from Berlin to Karlsruhe see Pannier in 21 Recht, Bibliothek, Dokumentation 44-46 (1991).

See also Mackert, Josef: Die Bibliothek des Bundesverfassungsgerichts. Stand 1970. In: Das Bundesverfassungsgericht 1951-1971. 2., neubearbeitete Auflage. Karlsruhe: C. F. Müller 1971. Pp. 171–191.

The “Kammergericht” in Berlin has about 180,000 volumes, the “Oberlandesgericht” in Celle about 165,000 volumes. See also Glaser, Hans-Joachim: Die Bibliotheken des Oberlandesgerichts Celle. In: Festschrift für Hildebert Kirchner zum 65. Geburtstag. München: Beck 1985. Pp. 99–107.

It began its activities in 1949—with 1,000 volumes taken over from the Parliamentary Council (“Parliamentarischer Rat”). In recent years, about 30,000 volumes have been added annually and about 12,000 periodicals (about 7,000 being of an official character) are being received currently. See also Kohl, Ernst: Die Bibliothek des Deutschen Bundestages. In: 39 Verband der Bibliotheken des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen. Mitteilungsblatt 146-151 (1989).

There are catalogues for titles, persons, corporate bodies, regions and subjects. Data from 1987 onward is also accessible online by a data bank. See also Hahn, Gerhard: Der Zusammenhang von Systemzweck, Sachgebiet, inhaltlicher Literaturauswertung und Katalog in der Bundestagsbibliothek. In: Bibliotheksarbeit für Parlamente und Behörden. München, New York, N.Y.: Saur 1980. Pp. 167–198.

See also Aus der Arbeit der Landtagsbibliotheken. München: Bibliothek des Deutschen Patentamts 1988. 114 p. (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Parlaments- und Behördenbibliotheken. Arbeitshefte. No. 42.)

“Bibliothek des Niedersächsischen Landtages”, with about 110,000 volumes.

“Bibliothek des Abgeordnetenhauses von Berlin”, with about 95,000 volumes.

This library consists of about 215,000 volumes. It has a branch (with about 70,000 further volumes) in Berlin. This branch includes the library of the former Ministry of Justice of the GDR in Berlin. The last mentioned library, in turn, included one part of the library collection of the Ministry of Justice of the German Empire (“Reichsjustizministerium”), formerly the Prussian Ministry of Justice (“Preußisches Justizministerium”). Another part was destroyed during the Second World War. A third part was given by the Ministry of Justice of the GDR to the German State Library in East Berlin and was incorporated there.

About 225,000 volumes.

About 260,000 volumes.

This library of about 400,000 volumes serves all the senators (i.e. ministries) in Berlin. There is one central library. Individual senators have small reference collections. Most other German states, however, have individual ministerial libraries which, of course, are much smaller.

“Universalbibliotheken”, “Allgemeine wissenschaftliche Bibliotheken”.

See also p. 11 supra.

For other libraries of the universities see pp. 3–6supra.

Two levels: Institute, university; three levels: Institute, faculty, university.

See Lansky: Bibliotheksrechtliche Vorschriften. 3rd ed. 1980 et seq. No. 26 (Baden-Württemberg), 32 (Bavaria), 40 (Berlin), 48 (Bremen), 52 (Hamburg), 56 (Hesse), 64 (Lower Saxony), 70 (North Rhine-Westphalia), 82 (Rhineland-Palatinate), 87 (Saarland), and 91 (Schleswig-Holstein).

“Slaats-und Universtälsbibliothek Bremen”.

“Hessische Landes- und Hochschulbibliothek”.

“Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek”.

“Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Sachsen-Anhalt”.

“Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Hamburg”.

“Staatsbibliotheken” and “Landesbibliotheken”.

It includes Germany's largest law collection of about 400,000 volumes.

This national bibliography is produced in Frankfurt and distributed from there. Leipzig is having modern, online connections and local data processing capacity installed.

Until 1990 two German national bibliographies were published: Deutsche Bibliographie in Frankfurt, and Deutsche Nationalbibliographie in Leipzig.

On the law collection of this library see Kittel, Peter: Entwicklung and Erschließung der rechtswissenschaftlichen Bestände in der Deutschen Staatsbibliothek. In: Im Dienste des Rechts und der Rechtsliteratur. In the service of law and legal literature. Festschrift für Helmut Dau. Herausgegeben von Ralph Lansky und Raimund-Ekkehard Waller. Berlin: Berlin Verlag 1991. Pp. 83–94.

See also Staatsbibliothek Preußischer Kulturbesitz. Bibliotheksführer. Redaktion: Johannes Metz. 2., aktualisierte Auflage. Berlin: Staatsbibliothek Preußischer Kulturbesitz 1988. 79 p.; Walter, Raimund-Ekkehard: Das Sondersammelgebiet Rechtswissenschaft bei der Staatsbibliothek Preußischer Kulturbesitz. In: Im Dienste des Rechts und der Rechtsliteratur (n. 60). Pp. 333-344.

The percentage for law of total expenditures of this library in 1990 was 8.0%.

Dr. Richard Landwehrmeyer, Director-General of the State Library of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, reported on these two libraries and their unification in a lecture delivered at the 11th IALL Course in Heidelberg in 1991.—See also Rückert, Sabine: Die Hochzeit der Bücher. Deutsche Staatsbibliothek mal zwei—eine Vereinigung nicht ohne Schmerzen. In: Die Zeit, no. 24 of June 7, 1991, p. 88.

At first it was called The Hessian Library (“Hessische Bibliothek”), because Marburg is situated in Hesse and the library was administered by that state.

The foundation is financed by the federal government and the state governments (“Länder”).

The State Library commenced in 1971 collecting literature in the narrower field of “foreign statute and case law” (“Literatur zum positiven ausländischen Recht”), areas not falling within the competence of the University Library of Heidelberg or other libraries.— The original (over the years more and more restricted) special subject field “Law” of the University Library of Heidelberg was completed at the end of 1974. The law literature acquired is still there.

The German Research Society was founded in 1949. It was first called “Notgemeinschaft der Deutschen Wissenschaft” as the corresponding organization in Berlin between 1921-45 had been called (see also p. 8 supra). It is a self-governing body concerned with research and is financed by the federal government, state governments (“Lander”), and industry. Among its various functions is the rendering of financial assistance to libraries to support primarily co-operative library work and central library institutions.

Interlibrary loans of these books are administered by the University Library of Tübingen (“Universitätsbibliothek Tübingen”).

Interlibrary loans of these books are administered by the State and University Library of Lower Saxony (“Niedersächsische Staats- und Universtälsbibliothek”) in Göttingen.

For this UNESCO Convention of December 5, 1958, see the German Federal Act of May 20, 1969, in Bundesgesetzblatt II 997-10100 (1969), also published in Lansky: Bibliotheksrechtliche Vorschriften (n. 50), no. 721.

See also Kaltwasser, Franz G.: The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) as part of the library system of the Federal Republic of Germany. In: International librarianship today and tomorrow. A Festschrift for William J. Welsh. Compiled by Joseph W. Price-Mary S. Price. New York, N.Y. [etc.]: Saur 1985. Pp. 65–79.

The percentage for law of total expenditures of this library in 1990 was 2.0%.

“Staats- und Universtätsbibliothek Bremen”.

“Hessische Landes- und Hochschulbibliothek”.

“Sächsische Landesbibliothek Dresden”).

“Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek”.

“Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Sachsen-Anhalt”.

“Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Hamburg”.

“Niedersächsische Landesbibliothek”. Apart from its general responsibilities, the State Library in Hanover maintains a law faculty library for the University of Hanover.

“Badische Landesbibliothek”.

“Württembergische Landesbibliothek”.

“Hessische Landesbibliothek Wiesbaden”.

See also p. 18 supra.

“Stadtbibliotheken” and “öffentliche Bibliotheken” or “Stadtbüchereien”, formerly also called “Volksbüchereien”.

Some literature on particular libraries is already mentioned in the footnotes.

Adreßbuch deutscher Bibliotheken. Berlin: Deutsches Bibliotheksinstitut 1990. XII p., 350 col.

Vol. 54. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz 1991. xx, 639 p.

Handbuch der Bibliotheken. Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz. Herausgegeben von Helga Lengenfelder. 2. Ausgabe. München, London, New York, N.Y.: Saur 1989. x, 540 p.

Busse, Gisela v. / Ernestus, Horst / Plassmann, Engelbert: Libraries in the Federal Republic of Germany. 2nd revised edition. Translated by John S. Andrews. Wiesbaden: Harrasowitz 1983. XIV, 288 p.—There is also a German edition entitled Das Bibliothekswesen der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, published in its second edition in the same year.

Lansky: Deutsche Bibliotheken für Rechtsvergleichung, ausländisches und internationales Recht. German libraries for comparative, foreign, and international law. Hamburg, Augsburg 1990. XVIII, 209 p. (Arbeitshefte der Arbeitsgemeinschaft für juristisches Bibliotheks- und Dokumentationswesen. No. 14.)—A German introduction by Lansky to law libraries in West Germany was published in 21 Recht, Bibliothek, Dokumentation 34-39(1991).

Rechtsbibliotheken im Osten Deutschlands. In: 21 Recht, Bibliothek, Dokumentation 18-23 (1991).