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Permission to Use

  Crossing signals, East Berlin.

All materials included in German History in Documents and Images are intended solely for individual, educational, non-commercial use. Classroom use is permitted. Materials from the website may be quoted and excerpted in assignments, term papers, and academic publications. (Suggestions for citing GHDI are provided below.)

The reproduction of quotations exceeding “fair use” limits or of entire documents (both German-language originals and English translations) in anthologies or textbooks (whether in printed or electronic form) or on other websites is strictly prohibited, as is the reproduction of images and maps published on our site. In certain cases, the German Historical Institute (GHI) may grant outside parties permission to reprint English language translations commissioned specifically for this project. All inquiries regarding permissions should be sent to ghdi@ghi-dc.org. For additional information on reproducing materials, please refer to points II-IV below.


I. Suggestions for Citing German History in Documents and Images in Bibliographies

Entire volume (example): Jarausch, Konrad, and Helga Welsh, eds. One Germany in Europe, 1990 – the Present, volume 10, German History in Documents and Images, German Historical Institute, Washington, DC (www.germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org).

Individual document (example): “Interior of a Leipzig Law Professor’s Home (1870-1880s)”, a document by Rudolf Binding. In Forging an Empire: Bismarckian Germany, 1866-1890, edited by James Retallack, volume 4, German History in Documents and Images, German Historical Institute, Washington, DC (www.germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org).

Volume introduction (example): Breitman, Richard, “Introduction.” In Nazi Germany, 1933-1945, edited by Richard Breitman, volume 7, German History in Documents and Images, German Historical Institute, Washington, DC (www.germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org).


II. Information on Primary Source Documents and Translations

The German History in Documents and Images website includes numerous German-language primary source texts under copyright by parties unrelated to the GHI, i.e., individual authors or their heirs, newspapers and periodicals, publishing houses, etc. In each case, the GHI has contacted – or made every attempt to contact – the appropriate parties to secure permission to publish copyrighted materials as part of German History in Documents and Images. The GHI cannot transfer the right to reproduce these materials to third parties.

Numerous factors – including the closure, sale, and consolidation of publishing houses; the proliferation of print media in diverse forms; the introduction of various intermediaries into the publishing process; the passage of time; and the death of authors or contributors – often make it difficult to determine and contact the individuals who hold the rights to particular texts. If you are an author, journalist, scholar, publisher, or the like, and feel that the GHI has published your work without your permission, please forward your concerns to ghdi@ghi-dc.org. The GHI will see to it that the situation is rectified immediately.

Most of the English translations included in German History in Documents and Images were commissioned by the GHI, which holds the copyright to these texts. If a translation has been commissioned explicitly for this project, the name of the translator will appear directly beneath the source information for the original German-language text. (Information on our project translators and researchers can be found on another page of this website.) If you are interested in reproducing one of these English-language translations in either traditional or electronic form, please write to ghdi@ghi-dc.org.

This project also includes numerous English-language translations commissioned by other parties – for example, English translations of classic works of German literature and philosophy, etc. In these cases, the GHI is not the copyright holder. Instead, it has made the necessary arrangements to reproduce these translations on our website. Again, the right to reproduce these materials is not transferrable to third parties.


III. Information on Images

The GHI does not hold the copyright to any of the images reproduced on our website. In most cases, the copyright holder is the Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz (BPK), with whom the GHI has entered into a partnership. If you would like to reproduce an image from German History in Documents and Images on another website or in print publication, please refer to the copyright information included underneath the image in question. If the copyright holder is the BPK, and if you reside in North America, please contact Art Resource (email: requests@artres.com; or telephone: 212.505.8700). Art Resource has partnered with the Bildarchiv Preussischer Kulturbesitz to handle all permissions requests originating from the U.S. and Canada. If you would like to reproduce a BPK image, but are not a resident of North America, please contact the archive directly (email: contact@bpk-images.de; or telephone: 49.30.278792-0).

For images and documents from the Bundesarchiv, please refer to the Regulations Governing the Use of Image Materials at the German Federal Archives (Bundesarchiv). For more information on their collection, please visit their website at www.bild.bundesarchiv.de.

The German History in Documents and Images website also includes approximately 60 images from the collection of the Deutsches Historisches Museum (DHM). If you are interested in reproducing one of these images, please contact the museum directly (telephone: 49.30.20304-220) or visit the DHM’s website at www.dhm.de.

Other questions about image rights can be sent to ghdi@ghi-dc.org.


IV. Information on Maps

The maps included in German History in Documents and Images were authored by either IEG-Maps, Institute of European History in Mainz, or Mapping Solutions of Anchorage, Alaska. For information on reproducing maps, please write to ghdi@ghi-dc.org.