1. What is the Compendium heroicum?

The Compendium heroicum is an online encyclopaedia published by Sonderforschungsbereich 948 “Helden – Heroisierungen – Heroismen” (Collaborative Research Center “Heroes – Heroizations – Heroisms”) at the University of Freiburg. As an interdisciplinary reference work, it provides access to the current state of the research on phenomena of the heroic in different cultures and time periods. It offers explanations on the emergence of heroic figures through processes of heroization, their functions, semantics, mediality and social practice.

The articles are authored by researchers from numerous disciplines in the humanities. This transdisciplinary approach allows a wide historical outlook that stretches from Antiquity to the 21st century, as well as a transcultural perspective interested in the significance of heroic figures from both European and non-European contexts.

The Compendium heroicum is a work in progress. After the publication of the first entries in 2017, the number of articles was continually expanded until the end of the Sonderforschungsbereich 948’s third funding phase in June 2024. All content is made available to the public as a digital open access publication free of charge.

Currently, the editors of the Compendium heroicum are Ronald G. Asch, Achim Aurnhammer, Georg Feitscher, Anna Schreurs-Morét and Ralf von den Hoff.

The Compendium heroicum is realised in cooperation with Open Encyclopedia System of the Freie Universität Berlin.

2. Contributing institutions

2.1. Sonderforschungsbereich 948 “Heroes – Heroizations – Heroisms”

The SFB 948 was founded in July 2012 at the University of Freiburg with funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG). In its transdisciplinary orientation, the SFB 948 brought together researchers from various disciplines in the humanities, including history, literary studies, visual studies, sociology and theology.

The aim of the SFB’s research was to study the heroic from Antiquity to the present day from a transdisciplinary, cultural, historical and social perspective. The SFB was particularly interested in the social orders that heroic figures both stabilise and simultaneously call into question, and examined why and how heroines and heroes have so persistently served as figures upon which communities can focus their self-understanding. The Sonderforschungsbereich thereby offers explanations on how cultural, historical, social and medial factors shape different societies’ respective notions of what is to be considered ‘heroic’.

For further information: www.heroicum.net

2.2. Open Encyclopedia System

Open Encyclopedia System (OES) is a web-based, standardised open source platform for the creation of open access encyclopedias. The software is developed at the Center for Digital Systems, Freie Universität Berlin, and is continuously enhanced.

For further information: www.open-encyclopedia-system.org