Institute for Contemporary History (IfZ)

The Leibniz Institute for Contemporary History (Institut für Zeitgeschichte – IfZ) is a non-university research institute spanning the entire history of Germany of the 20th century through to the present in all of its European and global connections. The IfZ was founded in 1949 as the very first institute to conduct academic research on the National Socialist (Nazi) dictatorship.

The scope of the institute’s endeavors has significantly expanded since then and can now be divided into four areas of focus:

• Dictatorships in the 20th century
• Democracies and their historical self-perceptions
• Transformations in most recent history
• International and transnational relations

In terms of organization, the IfZ is a public foundation under civil law. It is a member of the Leibniz Association and is financed by the federal government and the federal states of Germany.