Digital library/Archives
German History in Documents and Images (GHDI) is a free, digital, bilingual archive from the German Historical Institute, Washington, DC. It covers German political, social, and cultural history from 1500 to the present through 10 chronological volumes featuring over 4,000 original, translated texts, images, and maps.
Ifa.de – Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations – Germany’s oldest intermediary organization for international cultural relations. It was founded in January 1917 and promotes artistic and intercultural exchange between civil societies worldwide. It organizes exhibitions, funding programmes and conferences. Funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
The Peace Archive – Hosted by The Folke Bernadotte Akademin, it’s a digital archive that shows Sweden’s presence in foreign policies across history ( currently inaccesible through a quick google search, however it may be accessible through the Goethe Institute account or through an email asking for access )
The Political Archive of the Federal Foreign Office – Germany’s official diplomatic archive in Berlin holds 28.5 km of records (1867–present), preserving diplomatic, political and treaty documents that become publicly available for research—generally after 30 years.
The National Archive – The National Archive of England which has documents dating from 1.000 years ago. They range from political to simple letters.
Digital library/Important official documents:
The Treaty of Windsor (1386) – The inception of the allegiance between the Kingdom of England and Portugal. While old, the treaty is active and shows the beginning of the relationship between England and Portugal which have thrived in the 19th century as well.
The Moscow Peace Teatry (1940) – The end of the Russian-Finnish war. The treaty established principles of mutual respect and cooperation among nations. It marks an important moment in Cold War diplomacy, influencing further treatises concerning East-West discussions.
The Hague Congress (1948) A conference held in Hague from 7-10th of May and it advocated for European unity through spiritual/cultural values and fundamental freedom.
European Cultural Convention (1954) A treaty from the Council of Europe aiming to strengthen European Culture, promote cultural diversity among European Nations. Link
The Treaty of Rome (1957) – One of the main building blocks of the modern EC, however it is discussed through an economic lens. This treaty created a single currency, the euro and enhanced European political and economic integration.
Declaration on European Identity (Copenhagen, 14 December 1973) – Nine Foreign Ministers define a common “European Identity” and “common heritage.” The concept of European Identity was introduced into foreign relations.
Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) Formalized core European values, including liberty, democracy, human rights. The member states agreed to transfer parts of their power to the European Parliament.
Treaty of Lisbon (2007) Increased democratic efficiency. It created a permanent European Council President. established the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and introduced Article 50 for leaving the EU.
