Institute for Saxon History and Folklore (ISGV)
The Institute for Saxon History and Folklore (ISGV) is a non-university research institute of the Free State of Saxony. It combines the disciplines of regional history and folklore/cultural anthropology and researches the history and everyday culture of Saxony in its historical context from the Middle Ages to the present day, using a supra-regional comparative approach and a transnational perspective. The research results are published scientifically and communicated to the public.
The ISGV researches regional structures and processes in their historical development and current form. The research perspective explicitly includes Saxony's neighbouring countries and focuses on exchange and interrelationships. In long-term projects, the ISGV catalogues, edits, researches and publishes written and visual sources on Saxon history and everyday culture. By collecting documents, interviews and photo documentation, it contributes to the preservation of historical records. Short- and medium-term research projects expand the range of topics beyond basic research and address current scientific issues.
With the ‘Saxon Biography’, the ISGV maintains one of the most important online databases on regional history. It presents key data and encyclopaedia articles on historically significant figures who have had an impact in the Margraviate of Meissen, Electoral Saxony and the Kingdom, right up to the present-day Free State of Saxony. It includes biographies from the Middle Ages to the present day from all walks of life, such as politics, business, science, technology, art, media and sport.