Those researching seventeenth century German history, especially the Thirty Years’ War, will be pleased to learn that I have added the entire set of Paas’ German Political Broadsheet to the Upper Reading Room, Old Bodleian Library, so that it is more easily accessible and browsable.

Paas, John Roger, The German Political Broadsheet, 1600-1700. 12 vols. (Wiesbaden, 1985). Shelfmark: URR K.9.1.

Paas’ meticulous research in finding, describing and publishing all known extant 17th century broadsheets is wonderful and sometimes underrated source material covering a tumultuous period in German and Central European history. In particular the first half of the century saw the Thirty Years’ War 1618-1648, one of Europe’s most violent religious war.

While the majority of the broadsheets are located in German libraries, museums and archives, the ambition to publish as complete a record of German broadsheets as possible has sent Paas on research trips to over 180 libraries, archives and private collections across Europe and the US. Over 3,000 broadsheets are reproduced in full-page size and all known copies are cited.

Paas, John Roger, The German Political Broadsheet, 1600-1700. (Wiesbaden, 1985) vol. 1, p. 232.

The entire set publishes the broadsheets chronologically. Each volume introduces the period with a helpful scholarly overview of the years and period in question. The repositories are carefully listed and each plate has a brief description and shelfmarks.

Suggested reading

• Münkner, Jörn, Eingreifen und Begreifen: Handhabungen und Visualisierungen in Flugblättern der Frühen Neuzeit (Berlin, 2008)
• Faulstich, Werner, Medien zwischen Herrschaft und Revolte : die Medienkulter der frühen Neuzeit (1400-1700). (Göttingen, 1998)
• Harms, Wolfgang; Schilling, Michael, Das Illustrierte Flugblatt in der Kultur der Frühen Neuzeit : Wolfenbütteler Arbeitsgespräch 1997 (Frankfurt am Main ; New York, 1998)
• Bellingradt, Daniel, Flugpublizistik und Öffentlichkeit um 1700 : Dynamiken, Akteure und Strukturen im urbanen Raum des Alten Reiches. (Stuttgart, 2011)
• Bachmann, Christine, Wahre vnd eygentliche Bildnus : situationsbezogene Stilisierungen historischer Personen auf illustrierten Flugblättern zwischen dem Ende des 15. und der Mitte des 17. Jahrhunderts. (Frankfurt am Main ; Oxford, 2001)

Recommended web resources

• Zeitungen des 17. Jahrhunderts: Digitalisierung der vollständigen Zeitungen des 17. Jahrhunderts (website)
• VD17 (Verzeichnis der Drucke des 17. Jahrhunderts)
• More free web resources for 17th century German history