Culture and nature

Memory of the World

The Göttingen Gutenberg Bible, the archives of the Warsaw Ghetto, the colonial archives of Benin, Senegal and Tanzania, the collection of indigenous languages in Mexico or the Benz patent as birth certificate of the automobile of 1886 - they all are documentary testimonies of extraordinary value for the history of mankind.

They recall cultural turning points in history and are a source of knowledge for the shaping of present and future societies. Since 1992, the UNESCO Memory of the Word programme has aimed at securing and making accessible these documents of exceptional value in archives, libraries and museums.

Memory of the World International Register

The UNESCO Memory of the World International Register currently contains 496 outstanding documents: valuable book collections, manuscripts, unique works, visual, audio and film documents. In Germany, a nomination committee appointed by the German Commission for UNESCO prepares nominations for the World Register. An international advisory committee, appointed by the Director-General of UNESCO, discusses the international admission of documents. The Director-General decides on inscription to the World Register every two years.

Documents from Germany

Our contribution

The German National Committee for the Memory of the World Programme was established in 1999. The main task of this expert-committee is to develop, review and evaluate German proposals for admission in the World Register. In addition, the committee is working on visibility of the UNESCO programme in the German public.

German National Committee for the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme

Members of the Nomination Committee are appointed by the DUK Board of Directors. The task of the expert committee is to develop, review and evaluate German proposals for inclusion in the International Register. In addition, the committee is working on visibility of the UNESCO programme in the German public.

List of members of the German Memory of the World National Committee