Source and publication

Edited by K. Kooijmans, T.S. Bos, A.E. Kersten, C.E. Keij and, J.G. Smit

In 1985, method and the history of the release of historical sources was examined in a collection of ten commentaries. The book was compiled to commemorate the establishment 75 years earlier (in 1910) of the Committee that would later grow into what would become known as the Institute of Netherlands History. That Committee (‘Bureau’) was the driving force behind the series of Rijks Geschiedkundige Publicatiën [National Historical Publications] the first volume which appeared in 1904.

In four methodical commentaries, four authors examined four aspects of the publication of sources. A new age was dawning, dominated by automated data processing. Part of this group was a description of the state of affairs of the publishing of British government documents in the field of foreign politics and a plea for more attention for the release of company archives.

Six articles were devoted to the historiographical aspects of the publishing of historical sources. This includes a comprehensive article in which the history of the National Committee for Dutch History between 1902 and 1968 is described in over 70 pages. The history of the publishing of sources was also treated in contributions about the motives for publishing texts in the 18th century, the publishing of the personal documents of Dutch statesmen, the European editions involving foreign policy in the 20th century and a description of the prior history of the Repertorium of books and journal articles. An outline of the significance of Indonesian archives stored in Indonesia drew the attention of researchers.

The collection contains a number of annexes with information about the history of the National Committee for Dutch History and the series of National Historical Publications.