Swiss Library of Eastern Europe SOB

Eastern European Studies • History • Politics

The SOB is a public academic library specializing in the history and present day of Eastern Europe. Its holdings include current research literature, journals, newspapers, and historical collections. Located in the center of Bern, we offer expert advice in our well-equipped reading room. We regularly organize research courses and lecture series, which can be listened to as podcasts. The SOB is part of the University Library of Bern and the studies program Osteuropa-Studien Bern-Fribourg. 

We look forward to your visit! 

 

Lesesaal der Schweizerischen Osteuropabibliothek

Service

Infrastructure

Our reading room at Hallerstrasse 6, in the centre of Bern offers 18 modern study spaces. The infrastructure includes: 

  • Wireless LAN (eduroam/network of the University of Bern)
  • Media delivery service via Bern and SLSP courier system (daily delivery of media throughout Bern)
  • Dedicated book scanner
  • Uniprint scanner/printer
  • Microfilm/microfiche reader

Services

A member of our team will be available at our lending desk. Here you can: 

Our circulation conditions are based on the University Library's regulations and fees. A user account is required to borrow items.

Research assistance

We also offer reserach assistance. Our services include:

  • Ask a subject librarian: Whether you are a beginning or advanced student - if you need help with research on a specific topic, we are happy to help you to locate materials and guide you to databases, catalogues and other digital resources which might be relevant for your research topic. Please make an appointment via e-mail.
  • Tours of the library, introductory/training sessions (by appointment)
  • Scanning and photocopying services (Uniprint scanner, book scanner, microform/-fiche reader)
  • Research on demand (please enquire via e-mail)

Contact

Stay in contact with us:

Collection

We hold a unique and growing collection of over 160'000 media – historical and new books, journals, newspapers and other media, both in Western and East European languages. Most items are available to be borrowed locally or ordered to other libraries. In addition, numerous databases and other electronic resources on the politics, history and society of Eastern Europe are available via the university network (or via the University of Bern's VPN). 

Our collections comprise:

Tip: Watch the introductory video to our newspaper holdings:

Davoser Bibliothek

The SOB's holdings also include the Russian Library of Davos ('Davos Library'). This comprises around 3,000 volumes with prints from the last quarter of the 19th century to the first quarter of the 20th century. These are mainly holdings from various sanatorium libraries in Davos, where numerous patients from Russia stayed for treatment before the Russian Revolution in 1917. A detailed description of the collection and links to the digitised exile prints can be found here.

Digital collection "Russian exile publications"

Collection of rare digitised printed works from Russian emigration (1880-1920). Most originate from Switzerland, some also from neighbouring countries. In addition to numerous mostly shorter political pamphlets, there are also extremely rare Russian-language newspapers and magazines from Geneva, Lausanne and Bern. The political spectrum is also broad: anarchists, social revolutionaries and, of course, social democrats can be found in the constantly growing collection on e-rara.

 

History

The Swiss Library of Eastern Europe (SOB) stems from a private collection about the Soviet Union and the communist-ruled countries of Eastern Europe that the Bernese political scientist Peter Sager started to build after the Second World War. In 1959 the library and the Swiss Eastern Institute were legally separated. Responsibility for the library now lay with the Foundation of the Swiss Library of Eastern Europe, a private organization which was subsidized by the Confederation, the cantons and other institutions.

In 1997 the Swiss Library of Eastern Europe was incorporated as a branch of what was then the Town and University Library (StUB) by resolution of the Cantonal Parliament of Bern. Together with the StUB, the Swiss Library of Eastern Europe merged with the university libraries in 2007 to form the new University Library Bern (UB) where the SOB today belongs to the Theology and Humanities Subdivision.

Further information:

  • Hasselmann, Anne E.: Die Schweizerische Osteuropabibliothek, in: Traverse 23 (2), 2016, S. 125–135. Online: <https://doi.org/10.5169/seals-650827>.

  • Dutoit, Jan. Bibliographie zu den Publikationen des Schweizerischen Ost-Instituts (SOI) und der Schweizerischen Osteuropabibliothek (SOB) (2016): SOI-Bibliographie_Dez_2018.pdf (PDF, 472KB)

  • Maurer, Eva: Spuren aus Ostmitteleuropa. Die Schweizerische Osteuropa-Bibliothek als Ort des Exils und seiner Erforschung, in: Gillabert, Matthieu; Robert, Tiphaine (Hg.): Zuflucht suchen. Phasen des Exils aus Osteuropa im Kalten Krieg / Chercher refuge. Les phases de l’exil d’Europe centrale pendant la Guerre froide, Bd. 42, Basel 2017, S. 169–185. (Katalog)

  • von Werdt, Christophe: «Antikommunismus als Antitotalitarismus» : das Schweizerische Ost-Institut, in: Martig, Peter; Affolter, Heinrich Christoph; Gutscher, Charlotte (Hg.): Berns moderne Zeit : das 19. und 20. Jahrhundert neu entdeckt, Bern 2011, S. 41–45. (Katalog)

Contacts

Administration

Team