Was ist eine historische Quelle?

Abstract

The question is discussed in the form of the history of a problem during the 19th century until today. Thereby it can be demonstrated that the different answers are substantially determined by epistemological attitudes in historiography. The antagonistic positions especially of Leopold von Ranke and of Johannes Gustav Droysen in the 19th century were not discussed in respect to their incompatibility. Instead Ranke’s position was generally successful – though it is not very convincing. Today the discussion is dominated by theories of »memory« which, besides a certain empirical approach to the historical materials, focus the subjective aspect of cognition as a condition of historical knowledge as such.