Monumenta Germaniae Historica

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The Monumenta Germaniae Historica (frequently abbreviated MGH in bibliographies and lists of sources) is a comprehensive series of carefully edited and published sources for the study of German history (broadly conceived) from the end of the Roman Empire to 1500.

The society to sponsor the series was established by the Prussian reformer Heinrich Friedrich Karl Freiherr vom Stein in 1819 and the first volumes appeared in 1826 and following years. The editor from 1826 until 1874 was Georg Heinrich Pertz, who was succeeded by Georg Waitz. Many eminent medievalists from Germany and, eventually, other countries, joined in the project of searching out and comparing manuscripts and producing scholarly editions. The motto chosen by Klein, Sanctus amor patriae dat animum ("Holy love for the fatherland gives the spirit") is an important example of the coincidence of Romantic nationalism and highly professional scholarship.

The collection consists of five main areas, Antiquitates, Diplomata, Epistolae, Leges, Scriptores as well as Necrologia. Many subsidiary series have also been established, including a series of more compact volumes for school use (Scriptores in usum scholarum) and special studies (MGH Schriften).

The project, one of the greatest group efforts of historical scholarship, continues in the 21st century. In 2004, the MGH, with the support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, took a step which makes it even more extraordinary: all of its publications which have been in print for more than five years can now be read online, in photo-digital reproduction, via a link on the MGH homepage.

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