Zusammenfassung / Abstract
“Aspects of the history and significance of medieval monastic archives in Germanspeaking countries” – The aim of this article is to encourage readers to take a closer look at the history and significance of medieval monastic archives in German-speaking countries and beyond. Using individual examples, the focus will initially be on the terms used to describe the offices entrusted with responsibility for monastic records that were not part of the monastery library. It also looks at where the written material was stored in the monasteries. Finally, with a look at the Cistercians, a central order is presented whose religious hierarchy was based on a high degree on written communication, which was also archived centrally. Occasionally, a sideways glance is cast at the women’s monasteries, whose archival histories are still largely unknown.