About Us

The Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (BSB) in Munich owns one of the world’s leading collections on Eastern Europe, with holdings that have been built up over a long and rich history. Since the early 1950s, it has served as a reference library for the countries of Eastern and Southeastern Europe throughout Germany as part of a programme for the nationwide supply of literature funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The Eastern Europe Collection of the BSB comprises about 1.3 million volumes, including valuable manuscripts as well as a diverse range of electronic media, microfilmed archival material and about 4,500 current journals. Since 2000, over 1.1 million of its own books have been digitised and made available in open access format. The library and the Specialised Information Service for East, Central and Southeast European Studies have also been intensively engaged in electronic publishing for several years.

Eastern Europe Collection of the BSB

Specialised Information Service for East, Central and Southeast European Studies

Your contact person for osmikon: Dr Gudrun Wirtz

The Collegium Carolinum in Munich, a research institute for the history of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, brings together internationally renowned scholars who deal with the history of and present situation in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Eastern Central Europe. The associated institute organises conferences, produces numerous publications such as the journal “Bohemia” and maintains a subject library with the largest special collection on Bohemica and Sudetica in Germany.

Collegium Carolinum

Your contact person for osmikon: Dr Arpine Maniero

The Herder Institute for Historical Research on East Central Europe - Institute of the Leibniz Association in Marburg is one of the most important institutions for historical research on Eastern Central Europe. With its research library and scientific collections, it fulfils the function of a central research centre and academic service institution.

Herder Institute for Historical Research on East Central Europe

Your contact person for osmikon: dr Jürgen Warmbrunn

The Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe (GWZO) researches historical and cultural development processes in the region between the Baltic, Black and the Adriatic Sea. Fundamental to the GWZO is the broad time frame of its research, which spans epochs and begins at the transition from late antiquity to the early Middle Ages and extends to the present, as well as its pronounced interdisciplinarity. With its research, it contributes to an elaborate understanding of historical and contemporary developments in the states, societies and cultures of Eastern Europe.

Leibniz Institute für the History and Culture of Eastern Europe

Ihr Ansprechpartner für osmikon: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Heyde

The Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies (IOS) in Regensburg investigates the economy and history of this region. With the publication of specialist journals and its internationally important subject library, it offers an excellent infrastructure for the academic study of Eastern Europe.

Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies

Your contact person for osmikon: Tillmann Tegeler

With over 10.9 million works, the Austrian National Library is the largest library in Austria. In addition to more than 3.9 million books, it is the library’s eight collections with their unique objects including manuscripts, incunabula, music autographs, photographs, maps, globes and much more that are the basis of the library's international renown.

Austrian National Library

Your contact person for osmikon: Annette Höslinger-Finck