Definition
Der Große Ploetz is a German‑language encyclopedic reference work that provides comprehensive coverage of world history. It presents chronological, biographical, and thematic entries on political, economic, cultural, and scientific developments from antiquity to the present, and is widely used in educational, scholarly, and journalistic contexts in German‑speaking countries.
Overview
The work originated in the 19th century and has been continuously revised and expanded across numerous editions. Modern editions are published in one or several volumes and contain thousands of alphabetically ordered entries, maps, timelines, and statistical tables. The encyclopedia aims to give a concise yet authoritative overview of historical facts, events, and personalities, facilitating quick reference for students, teachers, researchers, and the general public. It is often compared with other general historical reference works such as Encyclopaedia Britannica or The Cambridge Histories but is distinguished by its focus on the German educational market and its compact, alphabetically organized format.
Etymology / Origin
The title combines the German definite article Der (“the”), the adjective Große (“great” or “large”), and the surname Ploetz. The name derives from the founder, Karl Julius Ploetz (1819 – 1881), a German historian and educator who first published a historical handbook in 1863. The adjective Große distinguishes this extensive, multivolume edition from later, abridged versions that have been marketed under titles such as Kleiner Ploetz (“Small Ploetz”).
Characteristics
- Structure: Alphabetical entries covering nations, regions, periods, key events, and notable individuals.
- Content Scope: Political history, economic developments, cultural movements, scientific milestones, and social trends.
- Supplementary Materials: The work includes thematic maps, chronological tables, genealogical charts, and statistical overviews.
- Editions: Since the original 1863 publication, the encyclopedia has undergone more than a dozen major revisions; the most recent edition (often denoted as the 19th edition) was released in the 2010s by the German publishing house Herder Verlag.
- Target Audience: Primarily secondary‑school students, university lecturers, and professionals requiring a concise historical overview.
- Language: Exclusively German; a few specialized editions have been translated into other languages for limited academic use, but the standard reference remains German‑language only.
Related Topics
- Karl Julius Ploetz – founder and original author of the historical handbook that evolved into Der Große Ploetz.
- Ploetz' Historisches Lexikon – the generic name for the series of historical reference works bearing Ploetz’s name, of which Der Große Ploetz is the flagship edition.
- Kleiner Ploetz – an abbreviated version of the encyclopedia intended for quicker consultation.
- Historical encyclopedias – comparable reference works such as Encyclopaedia Britannica, The Cambridge History of the World, and the French Dictionnaire historique.
- German educational reference works – other standard school resources, e.g., Duden (language), Brockhaus (general encyclopedia).
Note: While the basic facts about Der Große Ploetz are well documented in publishing histories and library catalogs, specific details such as exact page counts for each edition or precise sales figures are not publicly confirmed.