Here you will find the internal classification systems for our entire collections in the archive and library.
Archive and library collections
Technical information on the archives
The culture-historical archive of the Francke Foundations looks back on a 300-year history. Its holdings reflect the rise and fall of Halle Pietism as well as the rich history of the Francke Foundations. The predominant part of the archive dates from the heyday of Halle Pietism during the first half of the eighteenth century. In addition to the historical archive section extensive collections especially document the recent history of the Foundations. The archive also preserves estates as well as deposits presented by individuals and institutions. The archive collection currently includes 900 meters of files and manuscripts, 3,382 drawings and maps, 270 palm leaf manuscripts, 25,567 images, 11,634 newspaper clippings and 840 posters.
In addition to using the card catalogues and finding aids, to be consulted in the Study Centre’s Catalogue Room, a search in databases allows the user access to the Archive’s holdings. Their presentation on the Internet is one of the Archive’s priority tasks. These databases result from long-term projects to make the holdings accessible to the researchers and the broader public. The Archive mainly performs these tasks in externally funded projects.
The Archive’s holdings are subdivided into several sections, each with its own internal classification:
The main archive developed from the Library’s old manuscript collection. It contains the extensive correspondence of the Foundations’ administrators with partners around the world, as well as August Hermann Francke’s personal diaries. Moreover, it includes a large number of manuscripts presented to the institutions in the course of centuries by way of donations. Chronologically, this archival section focuses on the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The earliest documents, however, date from the High Middle Ages. The records of the first Protestant mission to the Jews under J. H. Callenberg can be found here as a closed portfolio.
Finding aids
Inventories: alphabetical author index for each individual document; alphabetic receiver index for each individual document; chronological index; location and local index.
Online finding aids
Archival database
The Mission Archive is subdivided into an India and a North America section. It includes extensive archival materials as to theological work overseas, supervised by the Halle Orphanage. Chronologically the material ranges from the start of the first Protestant Mission under Ziegenbalg in the beginning of the eighteenth century until well into the nineteenth century.
Finding aids
Inventories: alphabetical author index for each individual document; alphabetic receiver index for each individual document. For the Georgia collection a printed inventory and reader is available. Transregional overview of records relating to the India Mission
Online finding aids
Archival records of the Danish-Halle Mission
Economic and Administrative (AFSt/W)
The Economic and Administrative Archive mainly holds internal records and documents kept from the outset for reasons of legal backup, and today present us with diverse source material as to the Francke Foundations’ entity acquited in the course of centuries. Chronologically this collection begins with the founding of the Orphanage and extends into the twentieth century.
Finding aids
Inventories with index of keywords
Online finding aids
Archival database
School Archive (AFSt/S)
The School Archive holds archival material from the numerous educational institutions of the Francke Foundations. Whereas the basic records can mainly be found in the Economic and Administrative Archive, the school records were later archived separately. The nineteenth and twentieth centuries chronologically shape this collection to come to an end in 1946.
Finding aids
Overview of records; card index; systematic index.
Online finding aids
Archival database
Database “Francke's schools" (in German)
Archive of Blueprints (AFSt/A)
The Archive of Blueprints and Maps holds a variety of drawings and illustrations, which are especially related to the ongoing construction activity of the Francke Foundations. In addition to the respective records in the Economic and Administrative Archive the history of almost all the Foundations’ buildings can be reconstructed with the help of these sources. All periods of the Foundations’ history until the twentieth century are chronologically documented in this collection.
Finding aids
Card index for each individual sheet
Online finding aids
Archival database
Palmleaf Manuscript Archive (AFSt/P)
The Palmleaf Manuscript Archive is the largest collection of its kind in Europe and holds c.270 manuscripts with more than 35,000 single sheets. It includes Bible translations, sermons as well as other texts the Halle missionaries wrote in the Indian languages Tamil and Telugu that were sent to Europe. Here they were initially kept at the Orphanage’s Cabinet of Art and Natural History before being archived as a separate manuscript collection. Chronologically this collection is limited to the first half of the eighteenth century.
Finding aids
Catalogue of Tamil manuscripts
Online finding aids
Palmleaf and paper manuscripts in Tamil (catalogue in German and in English)
Palmleaf manuscripts in Telugu (catalogue in English)
Image Archive (AFSt/B)
The Image Archive for a small part consists of historical paintings and engravings and, for the most part, of almost 16,100 illustrations acquired in the course of the Foundations’ recent history and supplemented in increasing numbers. This primarily includes portraits of students, teachers and other associates of the Foundations as well as images of the Foundations’ buildings, parts of buildings and their inventory. Increasingly, current events in the Foundations are documented by means of photographs and archived here.
Finding aids
Local database in the Reading Room
Press Archive (AFSt/Z)
The Press Archive contains newspaper clippings concerning events related to the Francke Foundations.
Finding aids
Local database in the Reading Room
Estates (AFSt/N) and Deposits
The Archive holds for instance the estates of former directors of the Francke Foundations, such as the Niemeyer family, related to August Hermann Francke. Letters, travel notes and congratulatory texts, especially from the period of the directorate of August Hermann Niemeyer (1754-1828) have been preserved. Correspondence, reports and notes dating from between 1739 and 1825 also include the Knapp Family Estate, twice presenting the director by means of Johann Georg Knapp (1705-1771) in office between 1769 and 1771 and Georg Christian Knapp (1753-1825) in office between 1799 and 1825.
Diaries, letters and sermons are part of the estate of the theologian Friedrich August Gottreu Tholuck (1799-1877), which is preserved as a deposit. Professor in Berlin since 1823, he was appointed at the University of Halle three years later. Here he preached, lectured, delivered written comments and served as a chaplain. Tholuck is regarded as an exponent of the revival movement in the nineteenth century. This deposit also includes the estate of the theologian Martin Kahler (1835-1912).
The Archive of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Leipzig, which is deposited in the Foundation Archive, contains documents dating from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and related to missionary work in India, Africa, Papua New Guinea, Australia and other mission fields.
The Luckner estate includes manuscripts, correspondence and acquired objects from Felix Graf von Luckner (1881-1966), who earned great merit by way of his commitment to international understanding after World War I and for saving Halle from destruction at the end of the World War II.
Finding aids
Find books, card indexes
Online finding aids
Archival database
Finding aid for the holdings of the archive of the Leipzig Missionary Work
Library specifications
The Francke Foundations’ Historic Library, founded by Francke for »those studying at the Orphanage« (»Die im Waysen-Haus Studirenden«) at the end of the seventeenth century, comprises an important collection of antiquarian holdings. The books deal with all fields of knowledge, but strongly focus on the religious and cultural history of the early modern period. The books are housed in the earliest surviving purposely-built secular library in Germany, constructed in 1726-28. The Historic Library hall with its original eighteenth-century furniture forms the building’s central part. Here the collections were shelved in book cases arranged as scenes in a theater, the so-called Kulissenbibliothek or Scenery Library.
The focus of library work concerns the efforts to make the collections accessible and to develop a digital library.
Holdings
At present the library holdings include the following:
Main collection: approximately 57,000 volumes
Special collections: 74,000 volumes (of which 37,000 as a deposit)
Reference library: approximately 37,000 volumes
School programme collection: 29,000 volumes
Bötticher portrait collection: 12,958 sheets
Map collection: 1,762 maps
The library’s holdings are subdivided into various inventory groups each with their own classification.
The core of the main collection, comprising approximately 57,000 volumes, consists primarily of printed works from the 17th and 18th centuries. Due to their diverse origins, the collection covers a wide range of subjects. The most significant portion includes theological works, particularly on Pietism and the early Enlightenment, as well as numerous collections of sermons and prints from the Reformation era. Other major subject areas are history, jurisprudence, geography, pedagogy, medicine, and natural sciences. Of particular note are extensive collections of funeral sermons, dissertations, and school programmes. The remarkable linguistic diversity of the printed works reflects the global connections of the Francke Foundations.
Finding Aids
Alphabetical card catalogue
Catalogue by place of publication
Catalogue by language
OPAC
A collection of Bible editions printed since 1711 at the Bible Institute of Baron von Canstein (1667–1719), as well as a collection of Bible translations from the 18th and 19th centuries in over 100 languages and dialects. The Bible collection is arranged by Numerus Currens.
Finding Aids
Location catalogue
OPAC
The Library of the East India Mission Institute comprises 5,800 volumes, systematically arranged. The collection—except for prints in Indian languages—is fully recorded in the library’s online catalogue. Each shelfmark is prefaced with the designation "S/MISS:". To get an overview of the contents of individual subject groups, you can search for the shelfmark in the OPAC.
Classification System of the Library of the East India Mission Institute
A Journals/Source Publications
B Biographies
C Tamil (partially catalogued)
D Hindustani (not catalogued)
E German Journals
F Journals from America and England
G External Mission History
H Missionary Propaganda
I Journals from Holland, France, etc.
K Church History
L Biblical Studies, Catechetics
M Linguistics
N General Geography of Europe
O Geography and Travel in Asia
P Geography and Travel in Africa
Q Geography and Travel in America ...
R Domestic Mission
S Jewish Mission
T General Geography, Colonial History
Finding Aids
Alphabetical card catalogue
Systematic card catalogue
OPAC (for example OPAC-Recherche im Feld "Signatur": S MISS:B? Ergebnis: 179 Treffer aus der Sachgruppe "B – Biographien")
This is a specialised mission studies library, including collections on the Danish-Halle Mission, which has been held as a permanent loan at the Francke Foundations since 2006. The Leipzig Mission Society, founded in 1836 in Dresden and based in Leipzig since 1848, took over the work of the Danish-Halle Mission in 1847, which had previously been supported by the Francke Foundations. The library of the Leipzig Mission Society, whose collections are an important complement to the Library of the East India Mission Institute, has been held as a permanent loan at the Francke Foundations since 2006. It comprises approximately 15,000 volumes, arranged according to a classification system. In addition to materials on missions in India, the collection includes works on missionary activities in Africa, Papua New Guinea, and Australia. Each shelfmark is prefaced with the designation "S/LMW:", identifying the book as part of the "Leipzig Mission Society Collection." For organisational reasons, the collection has been divided into three sections:
T – Tranquebar Library (Library of the missionaries in Tranquebar, fully searchable in the OPAC) Classification:
A Exegetical Theology
B Historical Theology
C Systematic Theology
E Missionary Literature
F Classics and Fine Literature
G Pedagogy and Textbooks
H Bible and Biblical Sections
I History
K Geography
L Philosophy
M Tamulica
N Philology
Q Older Works
Search OPAC I Example for OPAC search in the "Shelfmark" field: S LMW-T:A? Result: 18 hits from the subject group "A – Exegetical Theology"
M – Collection of the Mission Library in Leipzig Classification:
A Ethnology and Regional Studies
B Linguistics
C Religious Studies
D India: Archaeology, Geography, History, Literature, Church
E Tamil Literature
F Mission Studies
G Missionary Literature
H Missionary Journals
I World Religions (Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.)
J Festschriften, Anniversaries
K Church History and Theology
L Annual Reports and Yearbooks
M Social Sciences, Philosophy, Political Science and Law
P Papua New Guinea
S Astronomy, Medicine, Reference Works, Miscellaneous
Finding Aids and Search Options
Alphabetical card catalogue (cross-catalogue, i.e., authors, titles, keywords, and subject headings in one alphabet)
Location catalogue (verification of location Leipzig (L) or Halle (H))
OPAC (Group D, E, F und G) I i.e. OPAC-Recherche im Feld "Signatur": S LMW-M:F?
Ergebnis: 1093 Treffer aus der Sachgruppe "F – Missionswissenschaft"
This collection was created by merging the library holdings of the three foundation secondary schools. It primarily contains 19th- and 20th-century literature for school use. The library is organised by school subjects.
Classification System
Sp Sports
Th Theology
Mu Music
G History
N Natural Sciences
D German Literature
P Pedagogy
K Art
W World Literature
E Geography
Ma Mathematics
To get an overview of the contents of individual subject groups, you can search for the shelfmark in the OPAC.
Finding Aids and Search Options
Alphabetical card catalogue
Systematic card catalogue
OPAC (approximately 75% of the collection is recorded)
Example for OPAC search in the "Shelfmark" field: S LEHR: E? Result: 1,037 hits from the subject "E – Geography"
This collection consists of complimentary copies of books published by the Orphanage Publishing House since its founding in 1698. The library is arranged by Numerus Currens.
Finding Aids
Alphabetical card catalogue
Location catalogue
OPAC
In 1756, Jakob Gottfried Bötticher (1692–1762), inspector of the Orphanage Bookshop, donated his portrait collection to the library of the Orphanage. The collection features depictions of approximately 7,000 different personalities from the 16th to the 18th centuries and comprises 13,000 sheets, primarily engravings.
Finding Aids
Database
A collection of hymnals, primarily from the 19th century, acquired from private ownership in 1995/96. The collection is continuously expanded.
Finding Aids
OPAC
Private library of the geologist and mineralogist Christian Keferstein (1784–1786), which was donated to the Foundations in 1853.
Classification System
I Journals
II Natural Sciences (General)
III Physics and Chemistry
IVa Mineralogy (General)
IVb Mineralogy: Specific Locations, Countries, and Mountain Ranges. Also includes: Geological Investigation Methods
Va Geology (General)
Vb Geology: Specific Locations, Countries, and Mountain Ranges. Also includes: Volcanoes, Earthquakes
Vc Palaeontology
Vd Mining
VI Biology: Animals and Humans
VII Plant Biology
VIII Travel, Travel Descriptions
IX Humanities
X Manuscripts
XI Miscellaneous
Finding Aids
Example for OPAC search in the "Shelfmark" field: S KEF:Vd? Result: 67 hits from the subject group "Vd – Mining"
The book collection of the revival theologian Friedrich August Tholuck (1799–1877) has been held as a permanent loan from the Tholuck Convict in Halle in the library of the Francke Foundations since 1993. The library, which comprises 15,000 volumes, is organised by subject and covers theology, church history, Palestine studies, and Jewish studies. The collection also includes parts of the libraries of theologians Martin Kähler (1835–1912) and Martin von Gerlach. Additionally, Tholuck's estate contains book holdings from the Silesian Convict, which was established shortly before the creation of the Tholuck Convict by Count Karl Philipp von Harrach (1795–1878), and whose board Tholuck was also a member of. The collection was catalogued with the support of the German Research Foundation (2000–2002) and is fully searchable via the library's OPAC. To get an overview of the contents of individual subject groups, you can search for the shelfmark in the OPAC (this does not apply to the collections "Kähler," "Gerlach," and "Silesian Convict").
Classification System
I Dictionaries and Grammars
II Classics, Antiquity, Texts
III A Foreign Literary History
III B German Literary History
IV Philosophy
V History
VI A Natural Sciences
VI B Geography
VII General Theology, Reference Works
VIII Journals and Series
IX Bible Editions
X A Palestine Studies (Old Testament and Ancient Near East)
X B Judaism, Introduction to the Old Testament
X C Old Testament Commentaries
X D Old Testament Commentaries
X E Old Testament Commentaries
XI A New Testament, Early Christianity
XI B New Testament Introduction
XI C New Testament Commentaries
XI D Jesus
XI E Theology
XII A Church History
XII B Church History, Dogmatic History
XIII Biographies
XIV Denominational Studies
XV A Systematic Theology
XV B Dogmatics
XV C Ethics
XVI A Homiletics
XVI B Homiletics, Sermons
XVI C Hymnology
XVI D Devotional Literature
XVII A Practical Theology
XVII B Catechetics and Religious Education
XVII C Liturgics
XVII D Individual Studies / Pastoral Care
XVII E Canon Law
XVII F Mission History
XVIII A Miscellaneous, Luther's Works
XVIII B Miscellaneous
XIX Judaica
XX Folios
XXI Convolutes and Collected Volumes
Finding Aids
OPAC
Examples for OPAC search in the "Shelfmark" field:
S THOL:XV A? Result: 486 hits from the subject group "XV A – Homiletics"
S THOL:SC? Result: 550 hits from the "Silesian Convict" library
S KÄHLER? Result: 836 hits from the "Martin Kähler" library
S GERL? Result: 139 hits from the "Martin von Gerlach" library
A significant portion of the private library of the orientalist Prof. Rudolf Sellheim (*1928) has been housed in the Francke Foundations since 2001. The library, arranged by Numerus Currens, currently comprises 7,300 volumes.
Findings Aids
OPAC
Private library of the religious studies scholar and orientalist Walter Beltz (1935–2006).
Finding Aids
OPAC
The collection of Halle researcher Heinz Hermann Beyer (1903–1992), comprising 806 volumes on the history of the city of Halle and the Central German region, was acquired by the Francke Foundations along with his archive. The collection is fully catalogued and accessible via the library's OPAC. It consists of 806 volumes primarily from the 19th and 20th centuries, focusing on the history of Halle. This unique collection includes comprehensive works on the history of Halle, numerous prints on the history of districts, buildings and monuments, literature, music and art, economic life, and many notable figures of the city, as well as a series of journals. The library is systematically arranged. Each shelfmark is prefaced with the designation "S/BEYER:". To get an overview of the contents of individual subject groups, you can search for the shelfmark in the OPAC.
Classification System
A General
B Germany
C Central Germany
D a-z Individual Places in Germany
E Halle
Ea General
Eb History
Ec Art, Literature, Music
Ed Local History
Ee Economy, Social Affairs
Ez Districts, Monuments, Buildings
F a-z Institutions, Companies, Associations in Halle
G a-z Individuals
K Miscellaneous
Z Journals
Finding Aids
OPAC Example for OPAC search in the "Shelfmark" field: S BEYER:Eb? Result: 66 hits on the history of the city of Halle
A collection of approximately 1,760 individual geographical maps, 10 hand-drawn maps, and 54 map works or atlases. The majority date from the 17th century. The collection is continuously expanded.
Finding Aids
Local database in the Study Centre
Collection of school programmes, primarily from the 19th and early 20th centuries. This collection was developed through the exchange of publications between the foundation schools and numerous external educational institutions.
Finding Aids
Database
The academic reference library (approx. 30,000 volumes) is publicly accessible in the reading room. It is continuously expanded and updated. In addition to general reference works, specialised research literature is acquired, particularly on Pietism and the cultural history of the Early Modern period. From 1992 to 2007, the German Research Foundation (DFG) generously supported the development of the research library, which can also be seen as a continuation of the collection focus of the historical holdings
See also Classification of the reference library
Finding Aids
OPAC I Example of an OPAC search in the field “Shelfmark”: Dka?
Result: 164 hits in the subject group “Dka – History of Pietism, General”
In cooperation with the Krokoseum Children’s Creative Centre of the Francke Foundations, books are acquired for the Krokoseum’s children’s library.
Finding Aids
Database
