Historical science in the Vatican - a new book of Stefan Heid

Next March, Stefan Heid will publish a 1,100-page account of the history of the Roman Institute of the Görres Society from its beginnings in the 1880s to the end of the Second World War with Herder Verlag.

The study offers a comprehensive history of individuals and institutions, a who's who of Catholic historical research in Rome, which was closely linked to the German Priests' College at Campo Santo Teutonico, the Vatican Archives and the Vatican Library. The index of individuals includes more than 700 people. The book is illustrated with numerous illustrations.

With the opening of the Vatican Archives in 1881/84 by Pope Leo XIV, the gold rush era of church history research began, in which the Protestant and Catholic worlds of Germany and Austria were at the forefront. The Görresians focused primarily on editing the nunciature files since the Reformation, the Council of Trent and the medieval financial administration of the popes. This resulted in a large series of publications.

After the Second World War, the institute underwent a significant transformation, so that a distinction can be made between the ‘old institute’ until 1945, which was purely a research institute, and the ‘new institute’, which also engages in public relations work; the latter is not discussed here.

The volume, which is being published as the 74th supplement to the Römische Quartalschrift and can already be ordered online, is dedicated to Erwin Gatz and is also intended as a tribute by the Roman Institute to the 150th anniversary of the Görres Society at the end of September 2026 in Koblenz.

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Category: Recommended reading