2003

DG -- Europe

Neuer Bildatlas zur deutschen Geschichte [New Pictorial Atlas of German History]. Ed. Wilhelm J. Wagner. New rev. and updated ed. Gütersloh; München: Chronik-Verlag im Wissen-Media-Verlag, 2002. 352 p. ill. maps, 29 cm. Formerly titled: Chronik-Bildatlas der deutschen Geschichte. ISBN 3-577-14598-6: EUR 39.95 [03-1-259]

As recently as 1999 and 2001, this “new” pictorial atlas of German history was called the Chronik-Bildatlas der deutschen Geschichte. Cartographer and journalist Wilhelm J. Wagner, the work’s editor, was aided by the historian Imanuel Geiss, who in addition to his academic works has also published various reference works and chronologies in a popular-academic vein. The work at hand is a popular historical overview of German history conveyed in text, numerous photographs, and maps, spanning a period from prehistoric times to 2002. The colorful maps are clear, quite legible, and not, as is so often the case, overloaded with information. There is a one-page bibliography and a personal name index in the appendix. The physically well-constructed volume is appropriate for the historically interested public, but libraries can pass on it, because there are numerous other handbooks, introductions, and reference works on German history. [wl/rb]

Biographisches Lexikon zur deutschen Geschichte [Biographical Dictionary of German History]. Udo Sautter. München: Beck, 2002. 438 p. 19 cm. (Beck’sche Reihe, 1492). ISBN 3-406-47632-5: EUR 16.90 [03-1-260]

With this volume the author intends to remedy the absence of a compact and above all reasonably priced biographical reference work of German history meant for a general audience. It contains entries for approximately 1,500 distinguished people from politics, business, the church, and the military since the dawn of German history. Switzerland is included until 1648, and Austria until 1945. The volume’s emphasis is on personalities from the post-Reformation up through the current day, including recent political figures. The author, a professor of North American history at the University of Tübingen who has compiled three other historical reference works, devotes special attention to factual information, such as regnal years and terms of office, and for the most part abstains from an interpretative assessment of his subjects. For the more eminent personalities, he adds brief references to further biographical literature. The volume concludes with a short index of people who do not have their own entry but are mentioned in those of other persons. Sautter’s dictionary is a useful home reference, but libraries will have more extensive biographical dictionaries at their disposal. [wl/tl]

Chronologie des Dritten Reiches: Ereignisse, Personen, Begriffe [Chronology of the Third Reich: Events, People, Concepts]. Klaus W. Tofahrn. Darmstadt: Primus-Verlag, 2003. 193 p. 23 cm. ISBN 3-89678-463-3: EUR 24.90 [03-1-262]

A compact and reasonably priced reference work on the events and personalities of the Third Reich is certainly desirable. Until recently the only resource available was Martin Broszat’s older paperback, Das Dritte Reich im Überblick (München, 1989), which devoted only a portion of its space to a chronology. Now two new chronologies (for a review of the second, see RREA 9:174) are available, but they are decidedly different from one another. Klaus W. Tofahrn, lecturer at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum, edited the work under consideration here. The chronicle itself is arranged by year and covers the period from 1930 to September 9, 1945 (Japanese capitulation). Included are not only developments in Germany, but also events at the international level. Scattered throughout are small grey boxes with brief explanations of terms such as “aryanization.” A selective but not completely up-to-date bibliography of recent literature on the subject begins on page 133, followed by personal name and subject indexes. Unfortunately the author gives no explanation of the function, meaning, and purpose of the work. He does not wish to offer a purely factual lexicon; rather he would like to stimulate discussion about how National Socialism and the Third Reich could have happened, in order to help ensure that this past will not be forgotten. For this purpose, however, it is inadequate to begin the chronology with the year 1930. One must ask whether it is realistic to expect that a chronology, which is meant for specific consultation rather than cover-to-cover reading, can accomplish this task. [wl/tl]

Das dritte Reich in Daten [Chronology of the Third Reich]. Christoph Studt. München: Beck, 2002. 275 p. 19 cm. (Beck’sche Reihe, 1495). ISBN 3-406-47635-X: EUR 12.90 [03-1-263]

As opposed to Tofahrn’s chronology (see RREA 9:173), reliable factual information is the hallmark of Christoph Studt’s volume. It covers the time period from January 30, 1933 to June 5, 1945. Developments in Germany are the main focus; many events are presented in a detailed manner and include citations. The centerpiece of the volume, the chronology, is framed by an introduction and a personal name and subject index. In some cases, cross-references facilitate the discovery of interconnections. Naturally the author could include only a critical selection of information, but no gaps are evident. The absence of a bibliography is not crucial. Studt’s volume is definitely to be preferred over Tofahrn’s chronology for academic use at colleges and universities and for those who are interested in the National Socialist period. [wl/tl]

Lexikon der deutschen Geschichte von 1945 bis 1990: Ereignisse, Institutionen, Personen im geteilten Deutschland [Encyclopedia of German History from 1945 to 1990: Events, Institutions, Personalities in a Divided Germany]. Ed. Michael Behnen. Stuttgart: Kröner, 2002. x, 690 p. ill. 22 cm. (Lexikon der deutschen Geschichte, 2). ISBN 3-520-83401-4: EUR 40 [03-1-264]

The first volume of this series (see IFB 99-1/4-435), covering German history from the beginnings to 1945, has already found its way into a third edition. This second volume continues the reference coverage from the end of the Second World War until German reunification. In its scope, it also includes non-German individuals and topics that contributed directly to the development of Germany after the war (viz. Cold War, George F. Kennan, John F. Kennedy). The editor notes in his foreword that the composition of articles about the German Democratic Republic was especially difficult with regard to objectivity, locating materials, and evaluating the credibility of primary sources. Thirty-six overview articles address central themes and concepts of postwar German history, including such topics as planned economy, the 1945 surrender terms, and the drafting of a new constitution. Charts and tables help the reader to visualize political systems and members of the various parties. The quality and length of entries vary somewhat depending on authorship, and certain dates and facts seem to clash with those found in other reference works; the next edition will require a close proofreading. Long awaited and welcome, this volume is a masterful compendium of German postwar history, a must-have reference book. Both volumes together prove to be far superior to the Lexikon der deutschen Geschichte (see RREA 5:231) as well as to the Biographisches Lexikon zur deutschen Geschichte (see RREA 9:172). [wl/rdh]

Baden-Württembergische Biographien [Baden-Württemberg Biographies]. Commissioned by the Kommission für Geschichtliche Landeskunde in Baden-Württemberg. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer. 25 cm. [03-1-265]

Vol. 3. 2002. Ed. Bernd Ottnad and Fred Ludwig Sepaintner. xxii, 513 p. ill. ISBN 3-17-017332-4: EUR 27

It took until 1994 to coordinate separate biographical projects for Baden and Württemberg and thus end their division 42 years after the establishment of the southwest German state brought the two provinces together. There are now two biographical dictionaries for Baden-Württemberg, but they are of different types: long biographies in the series Lebensbilder aus Baden-Württemberg (see RREA 9:177) and relatively short ones in Baden-Württembergische Biographien, begun by Bernd Ottnad in 1994 with volume 1 (see IFB 99-B09-434) and continued in 1999 with volume 2 (see RREA 7:188). Volume 3 is appropriately being published in the year of the 50th anniversary of the state. It contains 189 biographies of persons who have died since 1952 and were closely connected with the state and its development. No fewer than 75 authors contributed to the volume. The three volumes contain a total of 576 biographies, which are all listed in the cumulated index together with the 733 biographies n the first four volumes of the new series of Badische Biographien [Baden Biographies]. This state is well covered in comparison to other federal states, especially as further volumes of the three active series are planned. This makes it all the more urgent to begin a retrospective series of short biographies of Württemberg figures who died before 1952. [sh/gh]

Lebensbilder aus Baden-Württemberg [Biographical Sketches from Baden-Württemberg]. Ed. Gerhard Taddey and Joachim Fischer. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer. 23 cm. (Earlier series title: Lebensbilder aus Schwaben und Franken). [03-1-266]

Vol. 20. 2001. 529 p. ill. ISBN 3-17-017333-2: EUR 28.50

The Commission for Historical Geography in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg made a series title change beginning with volume 18, from the former Lebensbilder aus Schwaben und Franken [Biographical Sketches from Swabia and Franconia] to reflect the fact that biographical coverage has expanded to include the entire state of Baden-Württemberg. Volume 20 features 20 biographies. In at least one case, the principle of including only personalities who were born in the present-day boundaries of the state or who left significant traces of their life’s work there has been most generously interpreted: Gregorius Sickinger did etch some city images of Freiburg im Breisgau, but his life and work were clearly in Switzerland. The two editors admit to having crafted very different formats with their respective contributions. At the very least, future volumes would do well to harmonize the information given in the headings. To date, the series has presented over 520 biographies, all of them accessible through a cumulative index at the end of this volume. This work contributes to the healthy bibliographical coverage of Baden-Württemberg (see also RREA 9:176-177). [sh/rdh]

Ehrenbürgerinnen und Ehrenbürger, Berlin 1813–2002 [Honorary Citizens of Berlin, 1813–2002]. Ed. Brigitte Schellmann. Berlin: Schellmann, 2002. 174 p. maps, 21 cm. (Who’s top: Reihe Zeittafeln). ISBN 3-931230112: EUR 15 (B. Schellmann, PF 450426, D-12174 Berlin, e-mail: b.schellmann.verlag@online.de) [03-1-268]

The short biographies in the main alphabetical section of this volume include an enumeration of the stages of each subject’s life, his or her publications, a bibliography of secondary literature, honors, memorial plaques, and his or her memorial grave site. The second half of the book, Ehrengräber [Sepulchral Monuments], identifies the graves by city district and cemetery. Collective volumes on honorary citizens are a popular biographical genre. Two other similar works for Berlin have been published within the last 10 years: Die Berliner Ehrenbürger (Berlin, 1993; see IFB 99-B09-491) and Die Ehrenbürger Berlins (Berlin, 1993; see IFB 99-B09-492). The first of these is still to be preferred because of the extensive details it provides. [sh/vh]

Brandenburgisches biographisches Lexikon: BBL [Brandenburg Biographical Lexicon]. Ed. Friedrich Beck and Eckart Henning. Potsdam: Verlag für Berlin-Brandenburg, 2002. 450 p. ill. 24 cm. (Einzelveröffentlichung der Brandenburgischen Historischen Kommission e.V., 5). ISBN 3-935035-39-X: EUR 40 [03-1-269]

This work replaces the inferior Brandenburgische Persönlichkeiten [Brandenburg Personalities] (see IFB 99-B09-506) and provides more than 1,000 articles on persons born or active in Brandenburg, a region extending beyond the present boundaries of the state Brandenburg to include the Kurmark, Niederlausitz, the Altmark west of the Elbe, and the Neumark east of the Oder, but excluding Berlin. Th e historical scope is from the 10th century to the present, with an unusually high proportion of entries for living people. The biographies are brief, the bibliographies limited to secondary literature; entries often include a small black-and-white portrait. An additional recently published biographical dictionary for Brandenburg is the multivolume Bio-Bibliographien, Brandenburgische Gelehrte der frühen Neuzeit [Bio-bibliographies, Brandenburger Scholars of the Early Modern Period] (Berlin, 1997– ; for reviews of volumes 1–3, see IFB 99-B09-507 and RREA 7:294 and RREA 8:251). [sh/ab]

Deutsches Städtebuch: Handbuch städtischer Geschichte [Book of German Cities: A Handbook of Municipal History]. Founded by Erich Kayser, continued by Heinz Stoob. New ed. produced at the Institut für Vergleichende Städtegeschichte an der Universität Münster. Stuttgart [et al.]: Kohlhammer. 28 cm. [03-1-270]

Vol. 2. Städtebuch Brandenburg und Berlin [Cities of Brandenburg and Berlin]. Ed. Evamaria Engel. 2000. lxv, 646 p. ISBN 3-17-0153889 (pbk.): DM 138

Volume 1 of the revision of this monumental work on the history of German cities, Schlesisches Städtebuch [Silesian Cities] was published in 1995 (see RREA 2:271). The second volume, on Brandenburg and Berlin, differs somewhat from the 1939 volume on “Northeast Germany” it replaces, because the state borders have shifted a bit since then, and the capital city Berlin has been included. And unlike the volume on Silesia, which only included data available through 1945, the current volume incorporates research through 1995. Over 120 articles cover 116 cities in Brandenburg and Berlin plus seven now incorporated boroughs of Berlin, all arranged according to a complex 20-point scheme. (A legend is included on a separate loose page.) The length of an article reflects the importance of the city (from 38 pages for Berlin, to three for tiny Uebigau). Each city has its own bibliographical section, but there is also an 11-page list of works that cover multiple cities at the back. Several articles on regional history precede the city portion. Obviously it will be many years before all volumes in this set will be reissued; until then, we will have to be satisfied with aging information. Even the upcoming new edition of the volume on Eastern Pommerania will cover research only to 1945. [sh/hh]

Bremerhavener Persönlichkeiten aus vier Jahrhunderten: Ein biographisches Lexikon [Bremerhaven Personalities from Four Centuries: A Biographical Lexicon]. Ed. Hartmut Bickelmann. Bremerhaven: Stadtarchiv, 2002. 398 p. ill. 25 cm. (Veröffentlichungen des Stadtarchivs Bremerhaven, 16). ISBN 3-923851-24-3: EUR 24.90 [03-1-271]

To the already numerous regional and city biographies this publisher has produced for the Elbe-Weser region, he now adds a biographical lexicon for Bremerhaven. It includes personalities of the city in all walks of life who died by the end of 2000. Approximately half of the entries include a portrait. The biographies contain references to secondary literature, works of and by the subject of the biography, honors, and other personal details. This title a good example of the many city biographies published in recent years. [sh/mjc]

Das dicke DDR-Buch [The Big Book of the GDR]. Peter Henschel. Berlin: Eulenspiegel-Verlag, 2002. 223 p. ill. 27 cm. ISBN 3-359-01445-6: EUR 19.90 [03-1-272]

With this title, the Eulenspiegel Publishing House moves to challenge Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, who until now have held something of a monopoly in the area of reference books dealing with the former East Germany. Eulenspiegel’s title makes no claim to be a scholarly work, but is rather yet one more book that aims to take advantage of the current wave of nostalgia for the vanished country. It is organized in eight chapters, of which the longest (p. 26–113) is devoted to a chronology of the GDR from 1945 to 1990, with many small-scale illustrations and commentary in the form of a series of jokes popular during the period. Other chapters include: “Die Strasse der Besten” [The Street of the Best], with caricatures of prominent personalities; and “Made in GDR,” with descriptions of well-remembered consumer products. The work is aimed primarily at those who actually lived in the German “Workers’ Paradise” and who may be prone to idealize the experience in retrospect. [sh/crc]

Das grosse Lexikon des DDR-Alltags [Comprehensive Lexicon of Daily Life in the GDR]. Stefan Sommer. New, fully revised ed. Berlin: Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, 2002. 383 p. ill. 24 cm. Previous title: Lexikon des Alltags der DDR. ISBN 3-89602-390-X: EUR 22 [03-1-273]

Although of potential interest only to libraries with major holdings in GDR-related materials, this work has generated enough interest to justify a new, revised edition only two years after the initial two printings. This edition has a somewhat larger page format than its predecessor and a slightly reduced number of pages. It purports to contain “numerous new entries” on daily life in the GDR, on areas such as “school, workplace, leisure, household items, transportation, political organizations, military and police, state holidays, housing, sport, and leisure …” (cf. p. 7). It also contains a number of biographical entries. A quick comparison with Das dicke DDR-Buch (see RREA 9:182) reveals that the latter volume has better coverage of the state holidays. On the other hand, Das grosse Lexikon des DDR-Alltags does contain an entry on the Polyklinik, an institution recently praised by the Minister of Public Health as a model whose emulation might be a possible means of rejuvenating Germany’s decrepit health system. [sh/crc]

Fulda-Lexikon: Sachbegriffe zum geistlichen Fürstentum Fulda: mit Postkarten aus der Sammlung von Edith Parzeller [Fulda Lexicon: Terminology for the Ecclesiastical Principality of Fulda: With Post-cards from the Collection of Edith Parzeller]. Hans Eberhard Parzeller. Fulda: Imhof, 2002. 288 p. ill. 25 cm. ISBN 3-935590-45-8: EUR 19.80 [03-1-274]

An unusual lexicon, this volume represents only a small part of a much larger work planned by Parzeller, but interrupted by his death. The work deals with the ecclesiastical principality of Fulda (744–1802) and includes many terms common to medieval history, explaining first the general meaning and then the particular significance for Fulda. The many illustrations are drawn from the post-card collection of Parzeller’s daughter, supplemented by photographs from the publisher. It is to be hoped that the Fulda Historical Society will foster the completion of Parzeller’s planned work, as this volume represents only a tiny portion of Fulda’s long history. [sh/ab]

Historisches Stadtlexikon für Cuxhaven [Historical Dictionary for the City of Cuxhaven]. Peter Bussler. Bremerhaven: Heimatbund der Männer vom Morgenstern, 2002. 412 p. ill. 25 cm. (Sonderveröffentlichungen des Heimatbundes der Männer vom Morgenstern. N.R., 36). ISBN 3-931771-36-9: EUR 18 [03-1-275]

In contrast to many other dictionaries of individual cities (e.g., Bremer Lexikon, Bremen, 1997; see RREA 4:154), this one does not include articles on individual streets, as there already exists a special street lexicon for Cuxhaven (Die Straßennamen der Stadt Cuxhaven, Cuxhaven, 1997). Otherwise one finds the expected articles on buildings, people (only those no longer living), individual districts, institutions, and certain objects (for example, ships). The small black-and-white illustrations are primarily of people and buildings. Inexplicably, this work completely omits bibliographic references of any kind. [sh/erh]

Das Mainz-Lexikon: 3600 Stichworte zu Stadt, Geschichte, Kultur, Persönlichkeiten [The Mainz Lexicon: 3,600 Keywords on the City, Its History, Culture, Personalities]. Wilhelm Huber. Mainz: Schmidt, 2002. 263 p. ISBN 3-87439-600-2: EUR 19.80 [03-1-281]

The average length of the articles included in this work is quite short, even considering that roughly 40% consist merely of cross-references. As with most works of this sort, the entries concern predominantly persons, institutions, buildings, events, streets, and local expressions. Not surprisingly, no space is left for bibliographic references. The City Archives ought to undertake a new dictionary of Mainz on the fine model of the Stadtlexikon Nürnberg [City Lexicon for Nürnberg] (2d ed., Nürnberg, 2000; see RREA 8:248). [sh/jpn]

Schöpfer sächsischer Museen: Erfahrungen und Berichte; Sammler, Stifter, Gründer; eine Studie zur sächsischen Museumsgeschichte von den Anfängen bis zum Zweiten Weltkrieg; mit einer Zeittafel ausgewählter Daten zur Geschichte des sächsischen Museumswesens [Creators of Saxon Museums: Experiences and Reports; Collectors, Donors, Founders; A Study of Saxon Museum History from the Beginning to World War II, with a Timeline of Selected Dates on the History of Saxon Museum Science]. Ed. Franz Eisel for the Sächsische Landesstelle für Museumswesen. Chemnitz: Sächsische Landesstelle für Museumswesen, 2000. 96 p. ill. 30 cm. (Sächsische Landesstelle…, Oberfrohnaer Str. 33, D-09117 Chemnitz, e-mail: Gert.Stadtlander@slfm.smwk.sachsen.de) [03-1-283]

According to the editor, this volume seeks to begin to remedy the deplorable lack of a museum history for the German state of Saxony. This first “building block” consists of a compilation of biographies of 65 museum founders, collectors, patrons, and museum professionals. Coverage begins with Elector August who founded the Dresden Kunstkammer in 1650, then skips to the early 18th century, when August the Strong reorganized the royal collections. It ends with 1941, the year of the last museum opening in Saxony prior to the GDR era. In alphabetical order, each person’s name is followed by his or her dates, the name of the museum, its year of founding, a biography, giving special consideration to the person’s contributions to the museum, and a brief bibliography. Together with a supplemental timeline from 1560 to 1999, two indexes complete the volume: (1) names of persons mentioned in the articles and (2) museums alphabetically by location. [sh/hh]

Sächsische Lebensbilder: literarische Streifzüge durch die Lößnitz, die Lausitz, Leipzig und Dresden [Saxon Biographies: Literary Expeditions through the Regions of Lössnitz and Lausitz, and through Leipzig and Dresden]. Manfred Altner. Radebeul: Reintzsch, 2001. 166 p. ill. 21 cm. ISBN 3-930846-25-X: EUR 13 [03-1-284]

The entries in this work are not biographies in the ordinary sense, but a number of generally short, very uneven biographical sketches of 57 authors who were born in Saxony or who did their creative work there. The region of Lössnitz is particularly well represented, as are female writers and writers of children’s and juvenile literature. Non-alphabetized articles ranging from a few lines to eight pages (for Karl May) are mostly illustrated and sprinkled with quotes from other secondary literature. Although Karl May is by no means “shown in a new light,” as promised, other authors have indeed been “rescued from the realms of forgetfulness.” The name index does not distinguish, either typographically or otherwise, authors under discussion; anyone searching specifically for authors will need to look through the table of contents or leaf through the volume. [sh/rdh]

Taten und Gestalten: Bilder aus der Vergangenheit der Rumäniendeutschen [Deeds and Figures: Images from the Past of Germans in Romania]. Ed. Dieter Drotleff. Hermannstadt: Hora-Verlag. 23 cm. Vol. 1 published by Dacia-Verlag, Cluj-Napoca. [03-1-287]

Vol. 2. 2002. 177 p. ill. ISBN 973-8226-12-0

Volume 1 in this collection of biographies of German personalities from Romania was published in 1983. The planned second volume could not be published at that time for political reasons, and appeared only after German reunification in 1989 and with financial support from institutions in Germany. Both volumes gather the threeto four-page biographical sketches first published in the Kronstadt weekly magazine Karpatenrundschau [Carpathian Observer]. For the book, bibliographical details and several more biographies were added. Volume 1 contained 43 biographies of persons up to the end of the 17th century in chronological order by year of birth; volume 2 continues with 42 entries about persons born up to 1895. The signed articles are accompanied by portraits and bibliographical citations. In addition to biographical articles, volume 2 has several articles on various topics and institutions, such as the Association for Transylvanian Studies. Even if the intended audience is history teachers in Transylvania, German libraries should also acquire the work. [sh/gh]

Die Landeshauptleute der Steiermark: 1236–2002 [Rulers of Styria, 1236– 2002]. Hannes P. Naschenweng. Graz: Verlag Styria, 2002. 256 p. ill. maps, 24 cm. ISBN 3-222-12996-7: EUR 29.90 [03-1-289]

In contrast to an earlier work entitled Die Monarchen der Zweiten Republik, which dealt with Austria as a whole, the volume reviewed here limits itself to a single federal state of the Austrian republic, namely Steiermark or Styria. It provides biographical notes on all the occupants of the office of state governor, or Landeshauptmann, from 1236, when the office was established by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, up to the present day, when the office is held by a woman, Waltraud Klasnic. The introduction (p. 9–29) describes the origins of the office, its changes over time, and its current duties: representing the state of Styria to the Federal Government of Austria as well as to foreign countries; presiding over the state government; and administering all state agencies in times of crisis.

The volume contains 95 biographies in chronological order, grouped by century. Each century segment opens with a timeline and an overview in table form that allows the reader to place a particular ruler in the context of events that occurred during his or her reign or tenure in office. The author has made a point of going beyond mere political history to include information on his subjects’ personal lives. His sources include both unpublished documents and secondary literature; each article ends with a list of references cited in abbreviated form. Abbreviations are explained in the full bibliography on p. 249–256. The volume is generously illustrated, not only with portraits but also with reproductions of important documents, coats of arms, and significant buildings. An appendix gives chronological lists of diverse Imperial administrators, such as Statthalter and Landesverweser. [sh/crc]

Die Bürgermeister Wiens: die Geschichte der Stadt in Porträts [The Mayors of Vienna: The History of the City in Portraits]. Andreas Pittler. Wien: Ueberreuter, 2003. 207 p. ill. 22 cm. ISBN 3-8000-3873-0: EUR 21.95 [03-1-290]

The author, a trained historian, journalist, and now parliamentary advisor who has written several biographies, has produced a “history of the city of Vienna in the portraits of its mayors.” This claim really holds true only for the first few chapters, as later chapters, starting from the period of the post-World-War-I republic, are overwhelmingly devoted to single individuals such as Theodor Körner (1945–1951) and Franz Jonas (1951–1965), both of whom later became Austrian presidents. The work covers mayors from the first documented holder of the office in 1282 to the current mayor Michael Häupl, who has held office since 1994. The contributions, which combine biographical information with an assessment of particular achievements contributing to the development of the city, are written in a readable journalistic style without footnotes. A brief bibliography lists book-length biographies of Viennese mayors, as well as contributions about them in anthologies. [sh/tl]

Bibliographie der Stadtgeschichte der Schweiz 1986/97 [Bibliography of the Urban History of Switzerland, 1986–97]. Comp. Daniel Schläppi; ed. Martin Körner. Bern [et al.]: Lang, 2002. 415 p. 25 cm. + 1 CD-ROM. Previously published by the Historisches Institut der Universität Bern. ISBN 3-906769-21-6: EUR 66.90 [03-1-291]

The Commission Internationale pour l’Histoire des Villes [International Commission for Urban History] has done considerable work in providing bibliographic access to publications about city history, but its Guide international d’histoire urbaine [International Guide to Urban History] has remained incomplete. Thus, to find information pertaining to city histories one must often go to nationally oriented bibliographies, if available. In the case of Switzerland, the relevant works would be the Bibliographie der Städtegeschichte der Schweiz (Zürich, 1960) for publications to 1960; the Guide international mentioned above for those from ca. 1960 to 1970; and the earlier edition of the Bibliographie der Stadtgeschichte der Schweiz for the years 1970–1985.

The volume under review here is a continuation of the last title and updates it to the year 1997. The alphabetical listing of publications under city names works well enough for small municipalities, but for larger cities such as Zürich, with 33 pages of references, some kind of subject classification would have been useful. One can, of course, go to the Bibliographie der Schweizergeschichte [Bibliography of Swiss History] for help. Two sets of data are compiled together on the accompanying CD-ROM, as Word and Excel documents. However, the search options here are somewhat lacking in terms of user friendliness. As in the previous edition, the book has no indexes, but the CD-ROM at least allows searching by author. [sh/akb]

Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz (HLS) [Historical Encyclopedia of Switzerland]. Ed. Marco Jorio for the Stiftung Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz. Basel: Schwabe. 28 cm. (French ed. Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse; Italian ed. Dizionario storico della Svizzera). [03-1-292]

Because the HLS is funded by public monies, a free online version is available at http://www.hls.ch. All articles that have passed the final editorial process are available on the Internet site in at least one of the three languages (German, French, Italian). Eventually, all articles will be available in all three languages. Currently, a little more than one-fourth of all planned articles is available, but these include many more than those published in the first printed volume. Every month about 400 more articles are added. The Internet version does not include the illustrations featured in the print version. Given that the long-term existence of the electronic version cannot be guaranteed, the Foundation is to be commended for its decision to publish a printed edition of this work in addition to the Internet one. Both the print and the electronic edition are a great success. [sh/ba]

Dizionario biografico piacentino 1860–1980 [Biographical Dictionary of Piacenza 1860–1980]. 2d ed. Piacenza: Banca di Piacenza, 2000. 382 p. 26 cm. EUR 80 (Banca di Piacenza, Sede Centrale e Direzione Generale, CP170, I-29100 Piacenza, e-mail: bancapiacenza@bancapiacenza.it). [03-1-294]

Italian banks have often subsidized and published works that would otherwise not have seen the light of day. Many of these works are given to friends and customers and are therefore difficult to keep under bibliographic control. These bank publications deal primarily with objets d’art and architecture located in proximity to the bank. Occasionally, however, there are also less spectacular volumes dedicated to local history. Such is here the case: this second edition of the Dizionario biografico piacentino contains 1,280 entries for persons who lived between the years of 1860 and 1980. Each entry also includes references to secondary materials. This publication is a good example of a praiseworthy genre of local biography. Several such titles were reviewed in IFB 99-B09: Forli (-796), Friuli (-799), Liguria (-802), Lombardia (-806), and Marche (-810). The title on Parma was reviewed in RREA 6:308. [sh/erh]

Il dizionario di Milano: tutta Milano dalla A alla Z; dalle origini al Duemila [The Dictionary of Milan: All about Milan from A to Z, from its Beginnings to the Third Millenium]. Carlo Castellaneta. Firenze: Le Lettere, 2000. 478 p. ill. maps, 27 cm. (Dizionari delle regioni e delle città, 3; I dizionari Le Lettere). ISBN 88-7166-533-3: EUR 30.47 [03-1-295]

This is the first volume in this series to address a city outside of Tuscany. It is also the first to be written by a different author (who is known, according to the information provided on the jacket, primarily for his literary efforts, although he has also written about Milan as well as other cities in Lombardy). Its format is identical to the others in the series, such as the ones for Firenze and Prato (see RREA 9:196-199). [sh/sl]

Il dizionario di Firenze: tutta Firenze dalla A alla Z; dal Settecento al Duemila [The Dictionary of Florence: All about Florence from A to Z, from the 18th to the 20th Century]. Pier Francesco Listri. Firenze: Le Lettere, 1998. 447 p. ill. 27 cm. (Dizionari delle regioni e delle città, 1,1; I dizionari Le Lettere). ISBN 88-7166-431-0: EUR 25.31 [03-1-296]

Il dizionario di Firenze: tutta Firenze dalla A alla Z; dalle origini al Settecento [The Dictionary of Florence: All about Florence from A to Z, from its Beginnings to the 18th Century]. Pier Francesco Listri. Firenze: Le Lettere, 1999. 510 p. ill. 27 cm. (Dizionari delle regioni e delle città, 1,2; I dizionari Le Lettere). ISBN 88-7166-476-0: EUR 30.47 [03-1-297]

Il dizionario di Prato: tutto Prato dalla A alla Z; dalle origini al Duemila [The Dictionary of Prato: All about Prato from A to Z, from its Beginnings to the 20th Century]. Pier Francesco Listri. Firenze: Le Lettere, 2000. 447 p. ill. 27 (Dizionari delle regioni e delle città, 2; I dizionari Le Lettere). ISBN 88-7166-532-5: EUR 30.47 [03-1-298]

Il dizionario della Toscana: la Toscana moderna dalla A alla Z [The Dictionary of Tuscany: Modern Tuscany from A to Z]. Pier Francesco Listri. Firenze: Le Lettere, 2001. 528 p. ill. 27 cm. (Dizionari delle regioni e delle città, 5; I dizionari Le Lettere). ISBN 88-7166-590-2: EUR 30.47 [03-1-299]

The numbering of the volumes in this series may be unusual (there is to be no volume 4, it seems, but two volumes 1), but otherwise, they are uniform. All but one (on Milan, see RREA 9:195) of the works of popular scholarship in this series have the same author, the same art director, and the same format, and are richly illustrated, although the quality of both the black-and-white and color images is not always up to par.

The layout does not make for easy reading: images are scattered around and across the pages, interrupting snippets of text. The usual topics are covered: individuals and families, buildings, art works, and so forth, with an emphasis on everyday life (in the volume on Prato, for example, a famous pastry chef merits an entry). Oddly, there are no entries for street names, although the first Florence volume has a list of the more important ones, together with their derivations, as an appendix. Bibliographical references (often out of date) are given rarely and follow no recognizable pattern. Why little Prato should get a volume as big as either of those devoted to Florence, when the latter’s arch-rival Siena should be relegated to a short article in the largely unsatisfactory volume on Tuscany as a whole, is a mystery. [sh/dss]

Wieser-Enzyklopädie des europäischen Ostens [Wieser Encyclopedia of the European East]. Klagenfurt [et al.]: Wieser. 25 cm. EUR 1,700 (prepayment price, 20 vols.), EUR 175 (vol. price), EUR 145 (subscription vol. price, Lexicon Section), EUR 99 (subscription vol. price, 20 vols.). [03-1-301]

The planning for this encyclopedia goes back to the early 1990s. (See RREA 9:68 for a review of the 10-volume Lexicon Section.) Its aim is to increase knowledge about the “other half ” of Europe. Three sections are planned, with a total of 20 volumes. The encyclopedia section, vols. 1–10, will have about 50,000 entries on the history and culture of 21 east central, eastern, and southeastern European countries. It will also treat themes that are of central historical and cultural importance for Eastern Europe, without limiting them to ethnic groups, nations, or time periods. Th e encyclopedia section will be supplemented by a dictionary of Eastern European languages, which introduces 112 living and dead languages, ethnic groups, and nationalities of Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Volumes 11–17 will constitute a thematic section. This narrative will present the historical, political, economic, societal, and cultural background of the region from a historical-anthropological and interdisciplinary perspective. The goal is to underline the importance of Eastern Europe for European civilization. The documentation section, volumes 18–20, will present selected written sources from all areas of life and periods in Eastern Europe. [sh/gh]

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