Over the course of its more than 130 year history, the German Historical Institute has transformed from a small outpost of Prussian historiography into a modern research institute. Its birth in 1888 is closely linked to the opening of the Vatican Secret Archives by Pope Leo XIII. World War I and II led to its temporarily closure. Today, as the oldest German institute outside of Germany, it is a place of research and academic qualification, as well as a centre for scientific exchange and international collaboration.
