02/04/2026
We are delighted to announce that we have a new primary source collection coming soon—Germany, 1920–1969: British Foreign Office Confidential Print.
Comprising over 55,000 images sourced from The National Archives (UK), this fascinating collection surveys Foreign Office material relating to Germany and its nearest neighbours. It contains a wide variety of documents, all of which were selected by the Foreign Office for inclusion in its Confidential Print series, on the basis of their significance.
The twentieth century was a time of great change and turmoil for Germany. In just fifty years, it experienced post-war revolution, an experiment with liberal democracy, the rise of Hi**er and the N**i Party, the establishment of a brutal dictatorship, the horrors of war and genocide, occupation by foreign powers, and division into two ideologically-opposed states.
Throughout this period, Britain’s fate was closely entwined with Germany’s. The two countries shared a number of important similarities and, as two of the most powerful states in Europe, their relations could have serious implications for the continent and beyond. During the two world wars, they were bitter adversaries, but at other times, they enjoyed periods of peaceful and friendly co-operation.
The government files in this collection reveal how well-informed British officials and diplomats perceived, interpreted, and responded to Germany throughout much of this critical period, offering an unrivalled English-language insight into the frequent and significant changes which Germany experienced during that time.
We will be in touch during the coming months with more information about this collection! In the meantime, you can register your interest by visiting the collection landing page at https://buff.ly/gcqq41A.
You can explore our full range of primary source collections by visiting https://buff.ly/mgz6eV5.