Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and Other General Sources

Selected Subject Headings:

Europe--History--[time period]-- Dictionaries
Geography--Encyclopedias
World History--Dictionaries

Brockhaus, die Enzyklopädie : in vierundzwanzig Bänden. Twentieth revised edition. Leipzig: F.A. Brockhaus, 1996-c1999. 30 vols.
SML Reference AE27 G76 1996 (LC)
The most recent revised edition of a standard German encyclopedia, earlier editions of which influenced work on encyclopedias in many countries....The character of the work remains the same: predominantly short articles on a wide range of topics, inclusion of biographies of living persons, and bibliographies. There are longer articles for countries and major topics. A fine, scholarly work. (Balay, AB48)

The Cambridge Historical Encyclopedia of Great Britain and Ireland. Ed. Christopher Haigh. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985.
sml Reference DA34 +C28 1985

The Columbia Dictionary of European Political History Since 1914. Ed. John Stevenson. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 1992.
CCL Reference D424 C65X 1992
Covers European history since 1914 from a British perspective. Alphabetically arranged entries on "personalities, topics and events... [with] an attempt to provide some pointers to current assessments of some of the issues of the period... and extra-European events in terms of their significance in European affairs. Also included are major American figures who impinge directly upon European history."--Pref. Most articles conclude with short bibliographies of two to five citations. Cross-references, but no index. (Balay, DC20)

Cook, Chris. Dictionary of Historical Terms. 2nd. ed. London: Macmillan Reference, 1989.
SML Reference D9 C67 1989
CCL Reference D9 C67 1990
Covers "historical terms that are frequently encountered by both undergraduates and research students." (Preface.) Included are foreign words, very new terms, technical terms, etc. Users should follow up on see also references since many terms given a one-sentence definition receive fuller treatment in another, related entry. Cross-referenced; no index. (Balay, DA41)

Cook, Chris and Philip Broadhead. The Longman handbook of early modern Europe, 1453-1763. Harlow: Longman, 2001.
SML Reference D209 C66 2001

Dictionary of archival terminology: English and French, with equivalents in Dutch, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish = Dictionnaire de terminologie archivistique. Ed. Peter Walne. Second revised edition. Munich; New York: K.G. Saur, 1988.
SML Reference CD945 D53 1988 (LC)

A Dictionary of British History. Ed. J. P. Kenyon. London: Secker & Warburg, 1981.
SML Reference DA34 D52

A Dictionary of British History. Ed. John Cannon. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
SML Reference DA34 D334 2001
Available online to members of the Yale community through Oxford Reference Online

Dictionnaire de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale. Paris: Larousse, 1979-1980. 2 vol.
SML Reference D740 +D52

Dinan, Desmond. Historical dictionary of the European community. International organizations series, no. 1. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1993.
SML Stacks JN15 D56X 1993 (LC)
SSL Reference JN15 D56X 1993 (LC)

Donaldson, Gordon, and Robert S. Morpeth. A Dictionary of Scottish History. Edinburg: Donald, 1977.
SML Stacks DA757.9 D66

Donnachie, Ian L. and George Hewitt. Collins Dictionary of Scottish History. Glasgow: HarperCollins, 2001.
SML Reference DA757.9 D668 2001

Eggenberger, David. A Dictionary of Battles. New York: Crowell, 1967.
SML Reference D25 A2 E33

The most detailed of the dictionaries of battles. "Attempts to provide the essential details of all the major battles in recorded history." --Pref. Covers more than 1,500 separate engagements "from the first battle of Megiddo in 1479 BC to the fighting in Vietnam in the 1960s." Includes approximately 100 battle maps. Index of names and places. (Balay, DA21)

See also: Michael W. B. Sanderson. Sea battles: a reference guide. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1975.
SML Reference D27 S26
Offers concise accounts of more than 250 naval battles, 494 BCE to 1944 CE. (Balay, DA21)

Enciclopedia Italiana di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti. Rome: Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, 1929-1937. 36 vols.
SML Reference AE 35 +E52 1929 (LC)

Appendix I: 1938; Appendix II: 1938-1948; Appendix III: 1949-1960; Appendix IV: 1961-1978; Appendix V: 1979-1992; Appendice 2000.
An important encyclopedia with excellent long articles, many bibliographies, and a wealth of illustrations of all types, i.e., excellent maps and colored plates, dark sepia plates of unusual quality, and innumerable text illustrations, some of which are almost equal to plates. Some articles have a fascist viewpoint. All articles, even very short ones, are signed. Includes many biographical articles, genealogical articles containing additional biographies, and biographies of living persons. While all subjects are illustrated, the illustrations for localities and landmarks, and particularly for art subjects are most notable; many portraits.
Supplements are on the same basic plan as the main work. (Sheehy, AC58)

Enciclopedia Universal Ilustrada Europeo-Americana: Etimologias Sanscrito, Hebreo Griego, Latin, Arabe, Lenguas Indigenas Americanas, Etc.; Versiones de la Mayoria de las Voces en Frances, Italiano, Ingles, Aleman, Potugues, Catalan, Esperanto. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, 1907-c1930. 70 vols. in 72.
SML Reference AE61 E52 (LC) SML Stacks AE61 E52 (LC)

Often cited as Espasa.

Appendix: Enciclopedia universal ilustrada europeo-americana: etimologías sánscrito, hebreo, griego, latín, árabe, lenguas indígenas americanas, etc.: versiones de la mayoría de las voces en francés, italiano, inglés, alemán, portugués, catalán, esperanto. Apéndice. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, c1930-c1933. 10 vols.
Reference AE61 E52A (LC)
SML Stacks AE61 E52A (LC)

Supplemented by: Enciclopedia Universal Ilustrada Europeo-Americana. Suplemento anual. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, 1934- .
SML Reference AE61 E52B (LC)
Volumes cover 1934, 1935, 1936-39 (2 v.), 1940-41, 1942-44, 1945-48, 1949-52, 1953-54, 1955-56, 1957-58, 1959-60, 1961-62, 1963-64, 1965-66, 1967-68, 1969-70, 1971-72, 1973-74, 1975-76, 1977-78, 1979-80, 1981-82. (Balay, AB94)

Encyclopaedia Universalis. Paris, France: Encyclopaedia Universalis, 1989-90. 30 vol.
SML Reference AE25 +E32 1989 (LC)

Supplemented by: Universalia: les evenements, les hommes, les problemes en 1973- . Paris: Encyclopedia Universalis, 1974- . Annual.
SML Stacks AE25 +E32A (LC)
A series of yearbooks supplementing  Encyclopedia universalis. Each volume in five sections: (1) La marche du temps (a brief summation of the year's events chronologically presented); (2) Points d'histoire (essays on contemporary events and problems) (3) Themes et problemes (alphabetically arranged articles on events, countries, personalities, and special topics); (4) Vies et portraits (obituary notes on figures who died during the year covered); (5) Statistiques pour l'annee (graphs, tables, and explanatory texts). (Balay, AB40)

The Encyclopedia of the Third Reich. Ed. Christian Zentner, Friedemann Bedurftig. Trans. Amy Hackett. New York: Macmillan; London: Collier Macmillan, c1991. 2 vol.
SML Reference DD256.5 +G76313 1991
A richly illustrated dictionary of the people, organizations, jargon (e.g., blood sacrifice, final solution), events, movements, politics, culture, etc. of German history 1933-45. 22 overview essays (e.g. Women in the Third Reich, Concentration camps, Opposition, Attempts to assassinate Hitler) are designed to provide context and link the shorter articles together. The more than 3,000 entries, signed by German historians, are alphabetically arranged. Cross-references; subject index. The topical bibliography, p. 1083-1103, has been updated for the N.Y. edition, especially with English-language titles (which are starred). (Balay, DC255)

European historical dictionaries Series: 42 European historical dictionaries

Europe since 1945: an encyclopedia. Ed. Bernard A. Cook. New York; London: Garland, 2001.
SML Reference D1051 +E876 2001

Everett-Heath, John. Place names of the world: Europe: historical context, meanings and changes. Houndmills, Basingstoke: Macmillan Press; New York: St. Martin's Press, 2000.
SML Reference D905 E94 2000

Goralski, Robert. World War II Almanac, 1931-1945: A Political and Military Record. New York: Putnam, 1981.
SML Stacks D743.5 G64

La Grande Encyclopedie. Paris: Librarie Larousse, 1971-1976. 20 vol.
SML Reference AE25 +G69 (LC)

A wholly new work comprising about 8,000 entries with admitted emphasis on technological advances, the physical and social sciences, and political and social economy. Articles are signed with initials of contributors. Many up-to-date bibliographies; numerous illustrations (most of them in color), charts, and tables. Vol. 21 is an index. (Sheehy, AC38)

Supplemented by: La Grande encyclopédie. Supplément. Paris: Librairie Larousse, c1981-1985. 2 vols.
SML Reference AE25 +G69 Suppl (LC)

Haberkern, Eugen. Hilfsworterbuch fur Historiker; Mittelalter und Neuzeit. Second revised edition. Bern: Franke, 1964.
SML Reference D9 H3 1964
SML Stacks D9 H3 1964

Historical dictionary of the British empire. Ed. James S. Olson and Robert Shadle. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1996. 2 vols.
SML Reference DA16 H578 1996

The historical encyclopedia of World War II. Ed. Marcel Baudot. Trans. Jesse Dilson. New York: Facts on File, 1980.
SML Reference D740 E5213
A translation from the French Encyclopédie de la guerre 1939-1945 but lacking the index of the French original.

Hutchings, Raymond. Historical dictionary of Albania. European historical dictionaries, no. 12. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press
SML Reference DR927 H88X

Kern, Robert, and Meredith Dodge. Historical Dictionary of Modern Spain, 1700-1988. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1990.
SML Reference DP192 H578 1990

Krikler, Bernard, and Walter Laqueur. A Reader's Guide to Contemporary History. Chicago: Quadrangle Books, 1972.
SML Stacks Z6204 K75 1972 (LC)

Kurian, George Thomas. Encyclopedia of the First World. New York: Facts on File, 1990. 2 vol.
SML Reference G63 +K87X 1990 (LC)
In this and its companions, Encyclopedia of the Second World and Encyclopedia of the Third World, Kurian profiles all independent countries of the world. The divisions, although arbitrary and dated, classify nations as First World (developed or industrialized), Second World (Socialist countries) or Third World (politically nonaligned, economically developing, less industrialized). The works provide information for more than 30 political, economic, and social categories; also included are a post-World War II chronology and a bibliography. The First and Third World titles include descriptions of relevant organizations; each title ends with a general index. (Balay, CJ28)

Lerski, Jerzy J. Historical dictionary of Poland, 966-1945. Westport, CT; London: Greenwood Press, c1996.
SML Reference DK4123 L47X 1996

Wróbel, Piotr. Historical dictionary of Poland: 1945-1996. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, c1998.

SML Reference DK4433 W76X 1998
Low, Sidney J.M., Sir. The Dictionary of English History. New edition, revised and enlarged by F. J. C. Hearnshaw, Helena M. Chew and A. C. F. Beales. London; New York: Cassell and company, ltd., 1928.
SML Stacks DA34 L68 1928

Luttwak, Edward. The Dictionary of Modern War. New York: HarperCollins, 1991.
SML Reference U24 L93X 1991 (LC)

Maude, George. Historical dictionary of Finland. European historical dictionaries, no. 8. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, c1995.
SML Stacks DL1007 M38X 1995

McCusker, John. Money and Exchange in Europe and America, 1600-1775: A Handbook. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1978.
SML Reference HG219 +M33 (LC)

Osmanczyk, Edmund Jan. The Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements. Third edition edited and revised by Anthony Mango. New York: Routledge, 2003. 4 vols
SML Reference JX1977 O8213 1990 (LC)

The Oxford Companion to World War II. Ed. I.C.B. Dear. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995.
CCL D740 O94X 1995

Palmer, Alan Warwick. The Facts on File Dictionary of 20th Century History. New York: Facts on File, 1979.
SML Stacks D419 P27 1979

Parrish, Thomas. The Cold War encyclopedia. New York: Henry Holt Company, 1996.
SML Reference D840 +P28X 1996

Plut-Pregelj, Leopoldina and Carole Rogel. Historical dictionary of Slovenia. European historical dictionaries, no. 13. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1996.
SML Reference DR1375.5 P58X 1996

Political Parties of Europe. Ed. Vincent E. McHale. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1983. 2 vols.
SML Reference JF2011 P595 1983 (LC)
SSL Reference JF2011 P595 1983 (LC)
Contents: v.1: Albania-Norway; v.2: Poland-Yugoslavia.
Country chapters offer introduction, bibliography, alphabetical entries for all parties represented in the national parliaments through 1982, and tabular data on electoral history. Includes Eastern Europe countries, the Soviet Union, and historical Germany (pre-1945), Estonia (1917-1940), Latvia (1918-1940), and Lithuania (1918-1940). A separate chapter covers the European Parliament. Appendixes give a chronology of political events by country, a geneaology of parties by country, and parties grouped by ideology and then by country. General index. (Balay, CJ320).

Polley, Martin. A-Z of modern Europe since 1789. London; New York: Routledge, 2000.
SML Reference D299 P64X 2000

Ramsay, Anne. Eurojargon: A Dictionary of EEC Acronyms, Abbreviations and Sobriquets. Third edition. Stamford, Lincs.: Capital Planning Information, c1991.
SML Reference KJE926.5 +R45 1991 (LC)

The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of World War II. Ed. John Keegan. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1977.
SML Reference D740 +R36 1977

Rossi, Ernest E. The European Political Dictionary. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Clio, 1985.
SML Reference JN12 R65 1985 (LC)
Treats political developments within and among the major European powers (U.K., France, Federal Republic of Germany, and U.S.S.R.); also includes a section on Western European regionalism. For each, includes alphabetically arranged entries on major structures of government, national political parties and interest groups, political culture, recent election summaries, and principal government officials since World War II. Each entry has both a descriptive definition and an analysis of its significance. A geographic index precedes the body of the book, and a general index follows it. Cross-references. (Balay, CJ322)

Sanford, George and Adriana Gozdecka-Sanford. Historical dictionary of Poland. European historical dictionaries, no. 3. Metuchen, NJ; London: Scarecrow Press, c1994.
SML Stacks DK4030 S26X 1994

Scobbie, Irene. Historical dictionary of Sweden. European historical dictionaries, no. 7. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1995.
SML Stacks DL643 S37X 1995

Shaw, Gareth. A guide to European town directories. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate, 1997- .
SML Reference D5 S54 1997
Library has: Vol. 1: Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Scandinavia.

The Simon and Schuster Encyclopedia of World War II. Ed. Thomas Parrish. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1978.
SML Reference D740 +S57
An attempt to present an accurate and balanced account of World War II through a series of alphabetically arranged, mainly short articles dealing with the events, persons, places, equipment, terms and abbreviations, etc., that figured prominently in the war... Most articles are unsigned.... Detailed subject index, chronology, and selected bibliography. (Balay, DA208)

Snyder, Louis L. Historical guide to World War II. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1982.
SML Stacks D740 S65
Emphasizes the non-military aspects of the war. (Balay, DA208)

Tapsell, R. F. Monarchs, Rulers, Dynasties and Kingdoms of the World. New York: Facts on File, 1983.
SML Reference D107 T36 1983

Urwin, Derek W. A dictionary of European history and politics, 1945-1995. New York: Longman, 1996.
SML Reference D1051 U78X 1996

Veremes, Thanos and Mark Dragoumis. Historical dictionary of Greece. European historical dictionaries, no. 5. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, c1995.
SML Stacks DF802 V47X 1995

Wheal, Elizabeth-Anne. A Dictionary of the Second World War. London: Grafton, 1989.
SML Stacks D740 W44 1989

Williams, E. Neville.The Facts on File Dictionary of European History, 1485-1789. New York: Facts on File, 1980.
SML Reference D231 W54
Entries on important personalities and topics. Focus on mainstream of political history; coverage of economic and cultural history. Cross-references; general subject index; no bibliographies.

Young, Peter. A Dictionary of Battles. London: New English Library; New York: Mayflower Books, 1977-78.
CCL Reference D25 A2 Y68 1977

A note on the annotations:

Balay = Guide to reference books. Edited by Robert Balay. 11th ed. Chicago: American Library Association, 1996.
Shelved at Reference Desk

Sheehy = Guide to reference books. Edited by Eugene P. Sheehy. 10th ed. Chicago: American Library Association, 1986.
Shelved at Reference Desk