International Institute of Social History facts for kids
|
Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis
|
|
 |
|
| Abbreviation | IISH/IISG |
|---|---|
The International Institute of Social History (IISH/IISG) is a huge library and archive in Amsterdam. It holds many important historical documents about how people have worked and lived together. It has over a million books and 2,300 special collections. These collections include the writings of important people and groups who wanted big changes in society. Nicolaas Posthumus started the IISH in 1935. It's an independent place for learning and research. It's also part of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, which is a very respected group of scientists and artists.
Contents
What Kind of Collections Does IISH Have?
The International Institute of Social History focuses on the history of work and society around the world, including the Netherlands. As of 2000, it had one million books and 80,000 audio and video items. It also had 2,400 different magazines and newspapers. Plus, there were three million digital files and 30,000 feet of handwritten documents.
Famous Papers and Documents
These documents are part of 2,300 special collections. Some of these collections come from big organizations like Amnesty International and Greenpeace International. They also have papers from groups like the European Trade Union Confederation. The institute also keeps the personal writings of famous thinkers. These include Karl Marx, Lev Trotsky, and Emma Goldman. The IISH is known as the best place in the world to find documents about anarchist ideas.
The Story of the IISH
Nicolaas Posthumus started the International Institute of Social History in 1935. He was a socialist and the first professor of economic history in the Netherlands. He wanted to study how working conditions and relationships changed over time. So, the IISH collected historical records from all over the world.
Saving Important Documents
In its early years, Posthumus managed to get many important papers. These included writings from anarchists like Mikhail Bakunin. He also collected documents from socialist and Marxist groups in Germany and Russia.
Before the Germans invaded the Netherlands in 1940, Posthumus was able to move the most valuable archives to London. During World War II, many remaining IISH archives were taken to Nazi Germany. Luckily, they were not destroyed. Most of the papers were found in Hannover in 1946. Other parts were later found in archives in Moscow in 1991. All these documents were eventually returned to Amsterdam.
New Home and Other Collections
In 1989, the International Institute of Social History moved to a new building. It was an old warehouse in the eastern part of Amsterdam. This building also used to house the Press Museum. However, in 2017, that museum became part of the Dutch Institute for Image and Sound. The IISH also hosts part of the IHLIA LGBT Heritage collection, which are archives related to LGBT history.
Images for kids
-
A membership card from the Bakunin Archives at the IISH.
-
A copy of the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, held at the IISH.
See also
In Spanish: Instituto Internacional de Historia Social para niños
- Swiss Social Archives in Zurich
