Deutsche Nationalbibliothek German National Library DNB

Overview

The German National Library (Deutsche Nationalbibliothek; DNB) is Germany's central archival library and national bibliography institution, operating from locations in Leipzig and Frankfurt am Main. It is mandated by law to collect, permanently archive, and document all German and German-language publications since 1913, as well as foreign publications about Germany and translations of German works. It is a federal institution under the cultural supervision of the Minister of State for Culture and Media.

History and Founding

The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek traces its origins to the Deutsche Bücherei, founded in Leipzig in 1912 through an agreement between the city of Leipzig, the Kingdom of Saxony, and the Börsenverein der Deutschen Buchhändler (Association of German Booksellers). Systematic collection began on 1 January 1913. A second national library for West Germany, the Deutsche Bibliothek, was established in Frankfurt am Main in 1946 as Germany was divided. From 1990, following reunification, the two institutions merged under the name Die Deutsche Bibliothek. The current name, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek, was adopted when a new governing law came into force on 29 June 2006, which also expanded the collection mandate to include online publications. In February 2026 the DNB recorded its 20 millionth online publication.

Collections and Holdings

With over 43 million media units, the DNB is Germany's largest library. Its holdings include books, journals, CDs, records, maps, and online publications. Special collections include the Deutsches Exilarchiv 1933–1945 (German Exile Archive, Frankfurt), which documents the cultural and intellectual work of German emigrants fleeing National Socialism; the Anne-Frank-Shoah-Bibliothek (Leipzig); the Deutsches Musikarchiv (German Music Archive, Leipzig); and the Deutsches Buch- und Schriftmuseum (German Museum of Books and Writing, Leipzig, founded 1884). The DNB is also the legal depository for publications of major international organisations including the United Nations, UNESCO, the European Union, and the World Trade Organization.

Access and Usage

Physical access is available at reading rooms in both Leipzig (Deutscher Platz 1) and Frankfurt am Main (Adickesallee 1). The online catalogue is freely searchable worldwide at www.dnb.de, with freely available online publications accessible directly. Publishers are legally obligated to deposit copies with the DNB. The Deutsches Exilarchiv opened a permanent exhibition, "Exile. Experience and Testimony," in Frankfurt in 2018.