Italian-German Historical Institute

The Istituto storico italo-germanico (Isig) — in German, Italienisch-Deutsches Historisches Institut — is a foundation for historical research in Trento, Italy, devoted to Italian-German relations. It was founded in 1973 by the Istituto Trentino di Cultura, which after the founding of the University of Trento also wished to promote applied research. Its founding fathers were the historians Paolo Prodi and Hubert Jedin. Until its closure, a religious-studies institute, the Istituto di Scienze religiose, also belonged to the Isig. The institute is today part of the Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), the private-law foundation into which the Istituto Trentino di Cultura was transformed in 2007, named after the Trentino politician and co-founder of the University of Trento, Bruno Kessler. The initiative to create an institute for excellence in historical research goes back to Paolo Prodi, who directed the institute from its founding until 1997. As a historian of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, Prodi envisioned a meeting place where the tradition of cultural exchange and confrontation between the Latin and German worlds would find an ideal seat for reflection on the roots of an idem sentire de re publica — shared ideas about public affairs — that shaped modern European culture. Over the decades the institute has been profoundly transformed. Following an international selection process, its team of historians was expanded to 13 staff members. For decades it has held an annual multi-day scholarly conference, the Settimana di Studio (Study Week), on a chosen theme. Since 1975 it has published the multilingual journal Annali dell'Istituto storico italo-germanico in Trento / Jahrbuch des italienisch-deutschen historischen Instituts in Trient, which since 2011 has appeared twice a year in a peer-reviewed new format, with one issue in Italian and one in German. The institute also publishes numerous book series, including Quaderni, Monografie, Contributi / Beiträge, Schriften and Fonti, and since early 2018 has published the open-access online review journal Annali.Recensioni.Online. Isig's research spans the late Middle Ages to contemporary history, with a strong emphasis on the relations between Italy and the German-speaking world in European and extra-European contexts. Its current activities include international seminar series such as "AI and History," digital public-history projects such as History Cities (including the Hidden Trento and Hidden Pieve Tesino apps), and externally funded research projects such as TRAVEL — Travellers' interactions in early modern Italy, financed by the Italian Science Fund. The institute is also an accredited or qualified provider of training activities for school staff in Trentino. Its directors have included Paolo Prodi (1973–1997), Giorgio Cracco (1998–2005), Gian Enrico Rusconi (2005–2010), Paolo Pombeni (2010–2016), Christoph Cornelißen (2017–2023) and, since February 2023, Massimo Rospocher.

The Istituto storico italo-germanico (Isig) was founded in 1973 by the Istituto Trentino di Cultura, which after the founding of the University of Trento also wished to promote applied research. Its founding fathers were Paolo Prodi and Hubert Jedin. Until its closure, a religious-research institute, the Istituto di Scienze religiose, also belonged to the Isig. The initiative to establish an institute for excellence in historical research goes back to Paolo Prodi, who led the institute from its founding until 1997. As a historian of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, Prodi envisioned a meeting point where the tradition of cultural exchange and confrontation between the Latin and German worlds would find an ideal seat for reflection on the roots of an idem sentire de re publica — shared ideas about public affairs — that gave shape to modern European culture. Prodi was followed as director by Giorgio Cracco (1998–2005), Gian Enrico Rusconi (2005–2010), Paolo Pombeni (2010–2016) and Christoph Cornelißen (2017–2023). Since February 2023, Massimo Rospocher has been director of the institute. In 2007 the Istituto Trentino di Cultura was transformed into a private-law foundation named after the Trentino politician and co-founder of the University of Trento, Bruno Kessler (Fondazione Bruno Kessler). The Isig thus became part of FBK. In the meantime the institute has been profoundly transformed. Following an international selection process, its team of historians was expanded to 13 staff members. For decades it has organized an annual multi-day scholarly conference, the Settimana di Studio (Study Week), on a specific theme. Since 1975 the results of the institute's scholarly activities, as well as research findings from Italy and Germany, have been published in the multilingual journal Annali dell'Istituto storico italo-germanico in Trento / Jahrbuch des italienisch-deutschen historischen Instituts in Trient. Since 2011 the peer-reviewed journal has appeared twice a year in a new format: one issue in Italian and one in German, so as to acquaint readers without direct access to the other language with historical research on the German- or Italian-speaking world. According to its own description, the yearbook promotes contact among scholars and students of different generations and nationalities who deal with historical questions — with particular attention to relations between Italy and the German-speaking world — that can range from the late Middle Ages to contemporary history in a European and extra-European context. In addition, the institute publishes numerous book series, including Quaderni, Monografie, Contributi / Beiträge, Schriften and Fonti. Since early 2018 it has published the freely accessible online review journal Annali.Recensioni.Online; for this purpose the print journal Annali has since appeared without a review section. The electronic review organ, in which all contributions undergo peer review, sees itself as an organ for promoting German-Italian scholarly dialogue. The institute uses the YouTube channel of the Fondazione Bruno Kessler for announcements. In 2023 the institute marked its fiftieth anniversary with the publication ISIG: Cinquant'anni di storia (1973–2023) / ISIG: Fünfzig Jahre historische Forschung (1973–2023), edited by Christoph Cornelißen and Massimo Rospocher in the Annali / Jahrbuch (vol. 49, 2023, no. 2). Current activities include the international seminar series "AI and History," which offers reflections and case studies on the use of artificial intelligence for the discipline of history; digital public-history projects such as History Cities, including the Hidden Trento and Hidden Pieve Tesino apps; and externally funded research such as TRAVEL — Travellers' interactions in early modern Italy, financed by the Italian Science Fund (FIS-2023-02909), which focuses on interpersonal encounters involving travellers in the Italian peninsula (1400–1600). The institute is also an accredited or qualified provider of training activities for school staff in Trentino.

• 2023

  Massimo Rospocher becomes director in February; the institute marks its fiftieth anniversary with the publication ISIG: Cinquant'anni di storia (1973–2023).

• 2018

  The open-access online review journal Annali.Recensioni.Online is launched; the print Annali appears without a review section.

• 2017

  Christoph Cornelißen becomes director (until 2023).

• 2011

  The Annali / Jahrbuch appears twice a year in a new peer-reviewed format, one issue in Italian and one in German.

• 2010

  Paolo Pombeni becomes director (until 2016).

• 2007

  The Istituto Trentino di Cultura is transformed into the private-law Fondazione Bruno Kessler; Isig becomes part of FBK.

• 2005

  Gian Enrico Rusconi becomes director (until 2010).

• 1998

  Giorgio Cracco becomes director (until 2005).

• 1975

  The multilingual journal Annali dell'Istituto storico italo-germanico in Trento / Jahrbuch begins publication.

• 1973

  Founded by the Istituto Trentino di Cultura; founding fathers Paolo Prodi and Hubert Jedin; Paolo Prodi serves as director until 1997.

A publicly oriented research institute within the Fondazione Bruno Kessler, specializing in Italian-German and European historical relations from the late Middle Ages to contemporary history, combining scholarly publication, international conferences, digital public history and doctoral training.

• Annali dell'Istituto storico italo-germanico in Trento / Jahrbuch des italienisch-deutschen historischen Instituts in Trient

  Multilingual peer-reviewed journal published since 1975; since 2011 two issues per year, one in Italian and one in German.

• Annali.Recensioni.Online

  Open-access online review journal launched in early 2018, with peer-reviewed contributions promoting German-Italian scholarly dialogue.

• Book series: Quaderni, Monografie, Contributi / Beiträge, Schriften, Fonti

  Numerous scholarly book series published by the institute.

• Settimana di Studio (Study Week)

  Annual multi-day scholarly conference held for decades on a chosen theme.

• History Cities / Hidden Trento / Hidden Pieve Tesino

  Digital public-history apps using archival research and georeferenced historical maps, available in Italian, English and German.

• AI and History seminar series

  International seminar cycle on the use of AI for historical scholarship.

1. 1FBK-ISIG | Istituto Storico Italo-Germanico (official website)isig.fbk.eu
2. 2AI and History - FBK ISIGisig.fbk.eu
3. 3History Cities - FBK ISIGisig.fbk.eu
4. 4TRAVEL - CfA 3 PhD Positions in Early Modern History - FBK ISIGisig.fbk.eu
5. 5Istituto storico italo-germanico - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Istituto storico italo-germanico - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org