User Guides Subject Guides > Arts & Humanities German Literature

This is a guide to selected sources of information related to German literature available at URI. To find additional information, conduct a Subject search in the HELIN Library Catalog using subject headings such as GERMAN LITERATURE or GERMAN LANGUAGE. Subheadings such as 19th CENTURY or DICTIONARIES will narrow the search. (Example: German Literature 19th Century.)

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Getting Started | General Works — foreign language literature | Dictionaries & Encyclopedias | Indexes | Bibliographies and Bio-bibliographies | Literary Histories

Getting Started

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URI Ref. Z2235 .A2 R5 1984

Richardson, Larry L. Introduction to Library Research in German Studies: Language, Literature, and Civilization.

Covers the use of libraries and bibliographic searching techniques in 3 parts: Part 1 explains the use of various bibliographic access systems; Part 2 lists standard and specialized reference works; Part 3 includes supplementary resources.

URI Ref. Z6265 .B53 1994

Blazek, Ron. The Humanities: A Selective Guide to Information Sources.

Lists reference works in the humanities including German literature and language studies.

URI Ref. PN771 .C575 1980

Columbia Dictionary of Modern European Literature.

Includes biographical sketches of authors, critical evaluations and articles on the various national literatures.

URI Ref. PN44 .M3 1998

Cyclopedia of Literary Characters.

Descriptions of over twenty thousand characters from 3,300 novels, plays, epics and other classic literature. Arranged alphabetically by title of the work. Includes author, title and character indexes.

URI Ref. PN451 .M36 1997

Cyclopedia of World Authors.

Biographical sketches of over 2,000 authors worldwide from earliest times to the present. Each entry includes a list of the author's works and a bibliography of sources for further study.

URI Ref. PN41 .E487 1998

Encyclopedia of the Novel.

International exploration of the novel from its origins to the present day. Entries cover novelists and their works, types of novels, technical and formal aspects, critical approaches, and the development of the novel in different countries and regions. Bibliographic references are included.

URI Ref. PN771 .E5 1999

Encyclopedia of World Literature in the 20th Century.

Based on a German work edited by Wolfgang Bernard Fleischmann, this multi-volume encyclopedia provides international coverage including articles on national literatures, and biographical/critical articles. Includes bibliographies for authors and an index to the entire set.

URI Ref. PN3459 .C7 1984

URI Ref. PN3459 .C7 1984 Supp.

Magill, Frank N., ed. Critical Survey of Long Fiction: Foreign Language Series.

Provides critical studies of nearly 200 authors of novels and novel-like prose who have influenced the literature of their native language. Volumes 1-4 includes signed articles divided into several sections: principal long fiction, other literary forms, achievements, biography, analysis, major publications other than long fiction, and a bibliography. Volume 5 includes 16 essays on the history of the novel's development in different parts of the world and an index to the set.

URI Ref. PN3459 .C7 1984

URI Ref. PN3451 .C7 1984 Suppl.

Magill, Frank N., ed. Critical Survey of Poetry: Foreign Language Series.

Provides critical studies of 197 poets who have influenced the literature of their native language. Volumes 1-4 includes signed articles divided into several sections: principal poems and collections, other literary forms, achievements, biography, analysis, major publications other than poetry, and a bibliography. Volume 5 includes 27 essays on special areas of poetry and an index to the set.

URI Ref. PN451 .W674 1996

World Authors 1900-1950.

Biographical sketches of writers who came into prominence in the first half of the 20th century. Entries include lists of works by and about each author.

URI Ref. PF3640 .B85 1996

Bridgham, Fred. The Friendly German-English Dictionary.

Description from the subtitle: “A guide to German language, culture and society through faux amis, literary illustration and other diversions.”

URI Ref. PT41 .F46 1997

Feminist Encyclopedia of German Literature.

A multi-disciplinary approach to German literature drawing on related disciplines such as film studies, history, music, fine arts, psychology, sociology and political science.Topic-oriented entries focus on women's contributions to literature and culture.

URI Ref. PT41 .F7

Friedrichs, Elisabeth. Die Deutschsprachigen Schriftstellerinnen des 18. und 19. Jahrhunderts: Ein Lexikon.

Research guide to German women writers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Brief entries include references to biographies and critical works.

URI Ref. PT41 .G3 1997

Garland, Henry, and Mary Garland. Oxford Companion to German Literature.

Gives an exhaustive account of the words of High German, from the end of the fifteenth century on. Etymologies are illustrated by literary quotations.

URI Ref. PF3625 .G7

Grimm, Jacob. Deutsches Worterbuch von Jakob Grimm und Wilhelm Grimm.

Great dictionary of the German language completed after 100 years in preparation. Volumes show wide divergence in date of publication as well as in scope and method of presentation.

URI Ref. AE27 .G67 1977 (Encyclopedia case)

Der Grosse Brockhaus.

Basic encyclopedia for the study of German culture and civilization. Short articles providing factual information about people, places and events. Numerous illustrations.

URI Ref. PF3640 .K38

Keller, Howard H. A German Word Family Dictionary.

Each word is listed alphabetically by the first letter of its root rather than a prefix. All members of a root family are listed together along with prefixes, suffixes and English translations.

URI Ref. PT41 .L5 1988

Literatur Lexicon.

A 15-volume encyclopedia of German literature. Volumes 1-12 include authors and works, volumes 13-14 cover literary concepts, time periods and genres. Volume 15 is an index to the set. Includes illustrations and bibliographies.

URI Ref. PN41 .W5 1979

Wilpert, Gero von. Sachwörterbuch der Literatur.

Dictionary of about 4,500 literary terms. Typical entry defines term, relates it to representative works or writers, and cites additional sources. Dated, but useful for its historical background.

http://www.uri.edu/library/reference_databases/ref.html

Academic Search Premier.

Provides full text for nearly 3,180 scholarly publications covering a full range of academic disciplines. Coverage varies by publication, but generally covers the early-to-mid 1990s to present.

URI Ref Z1215 .A76222

Arts and Humanities Citation Index. 1977-1995.

Comprehensive general index covering over 6,000 international journals as well as monographs. Includes bibliographies of each indexed article. access to articles by author (Source Index), subject (Permuterm Index) and cited work (Citation Index).

http://www.uri.edu/library/reference_databases/title.html

Web of Science (ISI).

Web access to ISI citation databases (Arts & Humanities Citation Index, Science Citation Index, and Social Sciences Citation Index). This database, updated weekly, contains citations to articles from nearly 8,500 journals (1998 to the present). Searching by cited reference allows the user to tap into the research that influenced an author’s work or to determine a paper’s impact on current research.

URI Ref Z2231 .B52

Bibliographie der Deutschen Sprach und Literaturwissenschaft. 1945-   (Annual).

Comprehensive bibliography of western-language materials including pamphlets, books, articles, dissertations and reviews. Since 1969 covers language as well as literature.Unannotated bibliography begins with works on literature and language in general, followed by German Literature and arranged by period. Author/subject indexes.

URI Serial Z2235 .A2 G4

Germanistik: Internationales Referatenorgan mit Bibliographischen Hinweisen. 1961- (Quarterly).

International bibliography of materials on German Language and Literature, listing books, periodical articles and chapters in books. Arranged chronologically by period with fairly long annotations for some items and none for others.

http://www.uri.edu/library/reference_databases/title.html

Modern Language Association (MLA) International Bibliography. 1963-.

Covers scholarship in literature, folklore and linguistics and includes citations to articles, books and some dissertations.

URI Ref Z2230 .C65 1991

Furness, Raymond and Malcolm Humble. A Companion to Twentieth-Century German Literature.

Short biographies of modern German-language authors.

http://www.uri.edu/library/reference_databases/title.html

Literature Resource Center.

Includes author biographies, bibliographies, and full-text criticism. Searchable by author, title, genre, literary movement/time period, or theme.

URI Ref. Z2231 .K6 1966

Köner, Josef. Bibliographisches Handbuch des deutschen Schrifttums.

Lists books and articles dealing with German literature and authors from ancient times to World War II.

URI Z2230 .K6

URI Ref. Z2230 .K62

URI Ref. Z2230 .K63

Kosch, Wilhelm. Deutsches Literatur-Lexicon.

Exhaustive bio-bibliographical dictionary that includes German literary figures as well as theologians, philosophers and historians. Author entries consist of brief biographical data and extensive listing of primary and secondary works, including bibliographies and critical studies. Three multi-volume sets include supplementary material, so a complete search should include all three.

URI Ref. PT155 .K75

Kritisches Lexikon zur deutschsprachigen Gegenwarts-literatur: KLG.

Critical reviews of German literature since 1945, arranged by author. A typical entry includes a short biographical sketch, a critical essay of the author's work, a bibliography, and citations to other critical works about the author.

URI Ref. PT85 .B642

Boor, Helmut de. Geschichte der Deutschen Literatur von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart.

Detailed history of German Literature from 770 to the 1990’s.

URI Ref. PT103 .F72 1985

Frenzel, Herbert Alfred. Daten Deutscher Dichtung: Chronologischer Abriss der Deutschen Literaturgeschichte.

Chronological survey of German literature from the earliest time. Arranged under broad period divisions, followed by and alphabetical list of authors of the period, and then by a chronological list of outstanding works. Brief biographical notes for authors.

URI PT41 .R4

Reallexikon der Deutschen Literaturgeschichte.

Multi-volume encyclopedia focusing on the history of German literature through 1979. Includes information about genres, literary periods, national and regional literatures and general terminology. Extensive bibliographical references.

For assistance
If you need further assistance, stop by the Reference Desk or contact the Humanities Reference Librarian, Jim Kinnie at (401) 874-9240 or jkinnie@uri.edu.

J Kinnie 8/00; rev. 8/01, 4/04, 12/04