Pamphlets, especially those of the early modern era, form an indispensable source
for researchers in many disciplines. Herald of mass communication, the pamphlet
was aimed at all layers of the population in the hope of influencing public
opinion. Pamphlets reflect not only the political and social conflicts of the
time, but also the struggle concerning religion and the church. In addition,
they illuminate the otherwise so elusive attitudes and convictions as well as
the hopes and fears of the common people. For studies of the development of
languages pamphlets offer a unique basis for comparison, because many of them
have survived in dozens of editions originating from different parts of the
world and covering a considerable span of time. The woodcuts, used as a visual
propaganda, provide a large area for research by art historians.
Pamphlets thus constitute an important and often irreplaceable body of primary
sources for historians, theologians, folklorists, and art historians, as well
as scholars in the fields of linguistics and literature.
The aim of TEMPO is to facilitate research by making a large corpus of pamphlets
available at your fingertips. TEMPO is a growing database. New series covering
various countries, topics, and languages are added on a continuous basis. Both
the number of catalog records as well as the number of digital facsimiles will
increase significantly in the coming years.
