The project was dedicated to an organisation which – as an academy catering to all ranks of 17th century German society – was associated with a diverse assortment of linguistic, literary and scholarly ambitions that also extended into the realms of politics (and educational policy). An inherent aspect of the society’s work are the German and European perspectives that remained productive until the arrival of the Enlightenment, which was its natural successor, at least in terms of its various aims and objectives, albeit in different historical circumstances.
In addition to its achievements in the early modern development of the German language, literary reform and cultural work, the society promoted interdenominational, non-partisan avenues of communication and understanding. This was true from its inception and continued over the course of the Thirty Years’ War. Sustained by irenic notions of peace and patriotism, the Fruitbearing Society contributed to the overcoming of mistrust, escalating tension and violence.
The source texts for this edition were compiled from a great number of archives and collections in Germany and Europe. In their thematic breadth, their diverse subject matter and the different facets covered, the range of research interests and perspectives relating to the early modern period that are represented reveal interdisciplinary linkages that go beyond the narrower history of the society.
At the time the funding for the academy programme expired, the following sections had been completed as planned: section A: Köthen, with 13 volumes (16 physical books); and C: Halle, with 3 volumes.
The printed edition volumes were digitised in stages beginning in 2012; they can be accessed via the HAB’s OPAC online catalogue.
Additional information is available at the project’s online portal.
Funding: Academy funding programme of the Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig
Duration: January 2001 – December 2018
Project participants: Prof. Klaus Conermann (co-founder and project lead), Prof. Martin Bircher (†) (co-founder), Dr Gabriele Ball (team member; as of late 2020 with the Vereinigte Theologische Seminare, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen), Nico Dorn (project team; as of late 2020 with the Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen), Dr Andreas Herz (departmental head), Dr Alexander Zirr (team member); additionally, Anne Rieck and Jürgen May; Prof. Ulrike Gleixner (contact)
