Love Letter Archive

Eva L. Wyss: Love letter regulars tables, transcription sessions and Instagram postings. External communication and mediation between digital and analog formats. Symposium “No future without memory”. Strategies of preservation in cultural archives 20-22.6.2024. Institute of Modern Art, Nuremberg (21.06.2024).

Presentation of the Love Letter Archive at the Market of Opportunities of the 3. GSHS Research Day: Offen für die Zukunft? Open Science trifft Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften (Open to the Future? Open Science meets the Humanities and Social Sciences) of the Gutenberg Graduate School of the Humanities and Social Sciences at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (24.11.2023).

Andrea Rapp: „Ich werde meinem Stolz einen großen Knuff geben, daß er in die Ecke fliegt u. mich schreiben läßt. I´ll give my pride a big thump so that it falls to the ground and lets me write. The Collections of the Koblenz-Darmstadt Love Letter Archive“ as part of the Summer School 2023 „Literature Data and Digital Literature“ at DLA Marbach (09.08.2023).

Nadine Dietz, Lena Dunkelmann: “The love letter archive – Insights into collecting and digitizing priate love letters (with citizen scientists)” as part of the DIY digital archives workshop of the Digital Humanities Network of the University of Potsdam (07.07.2023).

Andrea Rapp: “Of bells ringing in the heart – collecting, indexing, digitizing and researching love letters and private couple communication” (orig. „Von Glockengeläute im Herzen – Liebesbriefe und private Paarkommunikation sammeln, erschließen, digitalisieren und erforschen“), public lecture as part of the Academy session in June at the Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz (30.06.2023).

Eva L. Wyss: Love letters (in transition) [orig. Liebesbriefe (im Wandel)]. Lecture as part of the Mainz St. John’s Night including love letter poetry slam at the Gutenberg Museum Mainz (23.06.2023).

Andrea Rapp: “Love letter archive” (orig. “Liebesbrief-Archiv”) at the Committee for Science of the Rhineland-Palatinate State Parliament, public 14th session at the Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz (22.03.2023).

Eva L. Wyss: “Taboo or ‘appropriate’ wording? The codification of desire in love letters (LL), notes and postings” as part of the Taboo Conference (TaCo) 2022, Taboo in Language, Culture and Communication, at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy (28.-30.09.2022).

Eva L. Wyss, Andrea Rapp, Canan Hastik: “Love letters in social networks of the 19th and 21st centuries” (orig. “Liebesbriefe in sozialen Netzen des 19. und 21. Jahrhunderts”) as part of the conference Social Medium Letter. Sharing, Liking, Retweeting in the 18th and 19th Centuries. New perspectives on the culture of letters, an event of the DFG research project “Edition von Briefen aus Jean Pauls Umfeld” of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW) (24.-26.06.2021).

“Why do we research love letters and how should we do it? (orig. Wozu erforscht man Liebesbriefe und wie sollte man dies tun?) An interdisciplinary discussion on the Koblenz love letter archive.” An event as part of the congress of the Society for Applied Linguistics E.V. (28.09.2016).

Plakat Interdisziplinäre Gesprächsrunde warum erforscht man Liebesbriefe

Eva L. Wyss: Romance on paper. Love letters from the 20th century. Exhibition at the University of Koblenz as part of the GAL conference 2016.

Eva L. Wyss (2002): The Zurich Love Letter Archive (ZLA). In: Love letters. Cupid’s arrow meets a poet’s heart. Exhibition Strauhof Zurich (orig. Das Zürcher Liebesbriefarchiv (ZLA). In: Liebesbriefe. Amors Pfeil trifft Dichterherz. Ausstellung Strauhof Zürich) (11.12.2002-2.03.2003).


Project Gruß & Kuss

Love letter regulars’ table: Love letters in digital media (orig. Liebesbriefe in digitalen Medien). Nineteenth citizen science love letter regulars´ table as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz in the residence palace Darmstadt and at the University of Koblenz (25.09.2024).

Nadine Dietz, Lisa Dücker, Lena Dunkelmann, Robert Engsterhold: Open cultural heritage through citizen science (orig. Offenes Kulturerbe durch Citizen Science). Joint workshop with DSA Marburg as part of the Open Science Festival 2024 at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (17.09.2024).

Love letter regulars table: Love letters for special occasions (orig. Liebesbriefe zu besonderen Anlässen). Eighteenth citizen science love letter regulars’ table as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz at Schlossgarten Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz (24.07.2024).

Love letter regulars table: Bridal letters (orig. Brautbriefe). Seventeenth citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz in the residence palace Darmstadt and at the University of Koblenz (26.06.2024).

Love letter regulars table: Erotic love letters (orig. erotische Liebesbriefe). Sixteenth citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz in the residence palace Darmstadt and at the University of Koblenz (29.05.2024).

Love letter regulars table: Love letters from children and young people (orig. Liebesbriefe von Kindern und Jugendlichen). Fifteenth citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project at the University of Koblenz (24.04.2024).

Lena Dunkelmann: The love letter as an object of research – the love letter archive and the “Gruß & Kuss” project (orig. Der Liebesbrief als Gegenstand der Forschung – Das Liebesbriefarchiv und „Gruß & Kuss“-Projekt). Lecture at the boarding school Schloss Hansenberg (21.03.2024).

Love letter regulars table: Love letters with dialect – cooperative event with the DSA Marburg (orig. Liebesbriefe mit Dialekt – kooperative Veranstaltung mit dem DSA Marburg). Twelfth citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz at the Residenzschloss Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz (22.11.2023).

Love letter regulars table: Farewell and seperation letters (orig. Abschieds- und Trennungsbriefe). Eleventh citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the „Gruß & Kuss“ project at the University of Koblenz (08.11.2023).

Love letter regulars table: Farewell and seperation letters (orig. Abschieds- und Trennungsbriefe. Eleventh citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the „Gruß & Kuss“ project at the University of Technology Darmstadt in the residence palace Darmstadt (25.10.2023).

Stefan Büdenbender, Nadine Dietz, Lena Dunkelmann, Ruth Reiche: “Digital transcription workshop VI. Explanations and instructions for full-text generation of love letters with Transkribus lite” (orig. „Digitaler Transkriptionsworkshop VI. Erklärungen und Anleitungen zur Volltextgenerierung von Liebesbriefen mit Transkribus lite“) as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz (26.09.2023).

Love letter regulars table: Heart symbolism in love letters (orig. Herzsymbolik in Liebesbriefen). Tenth citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the „Gruß & Kuss“ project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz in the residence palace Darmstadt and at the University of Koblenz (13.09.2023).

Love letter regulars table: Love letters in Kurrent and Sütterlin (orig. Liebesbriefe in Kurrent und Sütterlin). Ninth citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the „Gruß & Kuss“ project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz in the castle gardens of Darmstadt and at the University of Koblenz (12.07.2023).

Anna Naunheim, Marleen Quast: Insights into the love letter archive and presentation of the citizen science project „Gruß & Kuss“ as part of the Rhineland-Palatinate Day in Bad Ems (16.06.2023).

Love letter regulars table: Love letters trough the ages (orig. Liebesbriefe im Wandel der Zeit). Eighth citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the „Gruß & Kuss“ project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz in the residence palace Darmstadt (with the guest lecture “The influence of Gutenberg’s invention on love letter communication” by Dr. Erwin Kreim) and at the University of Koblenz (07.06.2023).

Lena Dunkelmann, Birte Gnau-Franké: The love letter as a historical and cultural source – insights into the work of the love letter archive and the Citizen Science project “Gruß & Kuss” (orig. Der Liebesbrief als historische und kulturelle Quelle – Einblicke in die Arbeit des Liebesbriefarchivs und des Citizen-Science-Projekts “Gruß & Kuss”). Online lecture at “Historisch-kulturwissenschaftliche Werkstatt” at the University of Hamburg (30.05.2023).

Teilnahme am Workshop im Rahmen der Begleitung der Bürgerforschungsprojekte. Organisiert und moderiert von Technopolis Group und NaWik im Rahmen einer Beauftragung durch das BMBF im Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung in Berlin (12.05.2023).

Participation in the workshop as part of the monitoring of citizen research projects. Organized and moderated by Technopolis Group and NaWik as part of a commission by the BMBF at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Berlin (10.05.2023).

Love letter regulars table: Easter greetings and religious love letters (orig. Ostergrüße und religiöse Liebesbriefe). Sixth citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the „Gruß & Kuss“ project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz in the residence palace Darmstadt and at the small giant (orig. Kleinen Riesen) in Koblenz (19.04.2023).

Love letter regulars table: Love letters from women (orig. Liebesbriefe von Frauen). Fifth citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the „Gruß & Kuss“ project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz in the residence palace Darmstadt and at the small giant (orig. Kleinen Riesen) in Koblenz (09.03.2023).

Lena Dunkelmann: Love letters in German lessons. Implementation of a series of lessons as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project in the German advanced course (13th grade) at Görres-Gymnasium Koblenz (10.-28.02.2023).

Love letter regulars table: Note communication (orig. Zettelkommunikation). Fourth citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the „Gruß & Kuss“ project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz in the residence palace Darmstadt and at the small giant (orig. Kleinen Riesen) in Koblenz (08.02.2023).

Love letter regulars table: Christmas love letters (orig. Weihnachtliche Liebesbriefe). Third citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the „Gruß & Kuss“ project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz in the residence palace Darmstadt and in the wine village Koblenz (30.11.2022).

Lena Dunkelmann: “Gruß und Kuss. Transcribing Love Letters with Citizen Scientists”as part of the workshop Document/in/g Transit. Final Symposium of “Writing Across Borders” (COESO Pilot 5) in Bonn (22.11.2022).

Lena Dunkelmann: Presentation on practical experiences of the Citizen Science project Gruß & Kuss – Briefe digital. Citizens receive love letters as part of the basic workshop of Bürger schaffen Wissen (10.11.2022).

Love letter regulars table: Love poetry and lyrical love letters (orig. Liebeslyrik und lyrische Liebesbriefe). Second citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the „Gruß & Kuss“ project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz-Landau in the Ratskeller Darmstadt an in the small giant (orig. Kleinen Riesen) Koblenz (19.10.2022).

Nadine Dietz, Lena Dunkelmann, Andrea Rapp, Eva L. Wyss: Project presentation “Greetings & kisses – digital letters. Citizens receive love letters” at the European Citizen Science Association Conference 2022 (ECSA) in the Sauriersaal of the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin (05.10.2022).

Long Night of Love Letters: Citizen science workshop at the University of Koblenz on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the love letter archive with short scientific lectures and ten themed tables on the subject of love letters with a finger food buffet, wine and candlelight in the conference center of the Rhein-Mosel-Halle in Koblenz (24.09.2022).

Nadine Dietz, Lena Dunkelmann: “Digital transcription workshop IV. Explanations and instructions for full-text generation of love letters with Transkribus lite” (orig. „Digitaler Transkriptionsworkshop IV. Erklärungen und Anleitungen zur Volltextgenerierung von Liebesbriefen mit Transkribus lite“) as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz-Landau (17.08.2022)

Andrea Rapp: “Gruß & Kuss”. Time for love letters. (orig. Gruß & Kuss. Zeit für Liebesbriefe).Project presentation “Greetings & kisses – digital letters. Citizens receive love letters” at the Meenzer Science Schoppe of the City of Mainz in the garden of the Institute of European History (10.08.2022).

Love letter regulars table: Nicknames in love letters (orig. Kosenamen in Liebesbriefen). First citizen science love letter regulars table as part of the „Gruß & Kuss“ project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz-Landau in the catle garden Darmstadt (3.08.2022)

Gruß & Kuss”-Stelldichein – Citizen science workshop at Darmstadt Technical University with coffee, cake and love letters at Darmstadt’s See you Café (9.07.2022).

Andrea Rapp, Eva L. Wyss: Love letters on the peace square. Public reading as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project of the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz-Landau on love letters from wartime on the occasion of the Ukraine war on Darmstadt’s Peace Square (10.06.2022).

Nadine Dietz, Lena Dunkelmann, Melanie Seltmann: Reading love letters – digital mediation and participation of cultural heritage (orig. Liebesbriefe lesen – Digitale Vermittlung und Partizipation von Kulturerbe). Project presentation “Gruß & Kuss – digital letters. Citizens receive love letters” at the University of Graz pop-up store (20.05.2022).

Nadine Dietz, Lena Dunkelmann: Digital transcription workshop III. Explanations and instructions for full-text generation of love letters with Transkribus lite” (orig. „Digitaler Transkriptionsworkshop III. Erklärungen und Anleitungen zur Volltextgenerierung von Liebesbriefen mit Transkribus lite“) as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project at the University of Technology Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz-Landau (11.05.2022).

Andrea Rapp2, Stefan Büdenbender2, Nadine Dietz2, Lena Dunkelmann2, Birte Gnau-Franké2, Nina Liesenfeld, Stefan Schmunk2, Melanie E.-H. Seltmann1, Thomas Stäcker, Stephanie Werner, Eva L. Wyss2: “My dearest treasure! Introducing the Citizen Science project Gruß & Kuss” (orig. “Mein liebster Schatz! Das Citizen Science-Projekt Gruß & Kuss stellt sich vor”). Poster slam1 and poster session2 at the 8th annual conference of the Association of Digital Humanities in German-speaking countries, organized by the University of Potsdam and the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam (10.03.2022).

Gruß & Kuss Projektposter DHd22
Poster: Stephanie Werner und Melanie Seltmann.

Nadine Dietz, Lena Dunkelmann: “Citizen science research topics – the ‘Gruß & Kuss’ topic clusters” (orig. “Bürgerwissenschaftliche Forschungsthemen – die ‘Gruß & Kuss’-Themencluster“). Scientifically moderated rendezvous on citizen science love letter research as part of a digital project workshop of the Technical University of Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz-Landau (17.02.2022).

Stefan Büdenbender, Nadine Dietz, Lena Dunkelmann: Project presentation “Gruß & Kuss – digital letters. Citizens receive love letters” at the Computer Philology Research Colloquium at the Institute for Linguistics and Literary Studies at the University of Technology Darmstadt (15.02.2022).

Nadine Dietz, Andrea Rapp, Melanie Seltmann: Project presentation “Gruß & Kuss – digital letters. Citizens receive love letters” at the Digital Humanities research colloquium at the Institute for Linguistics and Literary Studies at the University of Technology Darmstadt (25.01.2022).

Stefan Büdenbender, Lena Dunkelmann: “Digital transcription workshop II. Explanations and instructions for full-text generation of love letters with Transkribus lite” (orig. „Digitaler Transkriptionsworkshop II. Erklärungen und Anleitungen zur Volltextgenerierung von Liebesbriefen mit Transkribus lite“) as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project at the Darmstadt University of applied sciences and the University of Koblenz-Landau (14.01.2022).

Stefan Büdenbender, Lena Dunkelmann: Digital transcription workshop I. Explanations and instructions for full-text generation of love letters with Transkribus lite” (orig. „Digitaler Transkriptionsworkshop I. Erklärungen und Anleitungen zur Volltextgenerierung von Liebesbriefen mit Transkribus lite“) as part of the “Gruß & Kuss” project at the Darmstadt University of applied sciences and the University of Koblenz-Landau (22.12.2021).

Andrea Rapp, Eva L. Wyss: “Digital ‘Gruß & Kuss’ information event with selected Christmas love letters” as part of the “Greeting & Kiss” project of the Technical University of Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz-Landau (10.12.2021).

Melanie Seltmann: “About Love Letters and Citizen Science: Gruß & Kuss” (orig. “Über Liebesbriefe und Citizen Science: Gruß & Kuss”) as part of the Coffee Lectures at ULB Darmstadt (8.12.2021).

Melanie Seltmann, Stephanie Werner:”‘[…] then you can read this, and then it will soon be Christmas’ – love letters and citizen science in the Gruß & Kuss project” (orig.”‘[…] dann kannst du dies lesen, und dann ist bald Weihnachten’ – Liebesbriefe und Citizen Science im Projekt Gruß & Kuss”) as part of the InFoDiTex (Interdisciplinary Forum of Digital Text Studies) at Heidelberg University (6.12.2021).

Melanie Seltmann: “Digital citizen science and community engagement: an exchange of experiences” (orig.”Citizen Science und Communitiybindung digital: ein Erfahrungsaustausch”) as part of the #vbib21 of the Berufsverband Information Bibliothek (BIB) and the Leibniz Information Center for Science and Technology and University Library (TIB) (1.12.2021). [Folien]

Nadine Dietz, Lena Dunkelmann: Project presentation: “Gruß & Kuss – digital letters. Citizens receive love letters” as part of the 3rd Digital phenomenal – Perspectives in Teacher Education Conference organized by the Media Education Department at the Technical University of Darmstadt (5.11.2021).

Andrea Rapp, Eva L. Wyss: “Love letters on Jesuitenplatz”. “Gruß & Kuss” information event organized by the Technical University of Darmstadt and the University of Koblenz-Landau on Jesuitenplatz in Koblenz (24.09.2021).

Kevin Wunsch, Melanie Seltmann: “From analogue to digital – the digitization projects ‘Greeting and Kiss’ and ‘European Religious Peace'” (orig. “Aus analog wird digital – die Digitalisierungsprojekte ‘Gruß und Kuss’ und ‘Europäische Religionsfrieden'” as part of the open day of the ULB (12.09.2021).

Andrea Rapp, Eva L. Wyss: “Love letters in transition. The ‘Gruß & Kuss’ project introduces itself”. Information event as part of the exhibition HILDE ROTH. A journey through time through Darmstadt 1950-1990 of the Kunstforum of the University of Technology Darmstadt on Georg-Büchner-Platz (27.08.2021).


Under events you can find out about current events, conferences and lectures related to the Love Letter Archive and Gruß & Kuss.