Albrecht von Stosch (1818 1896) was an outstanding general during the Bismarck era, both as a military professional and a politician. After his military career, from 1872 to 1883 he served as the Minister of the Admiralty and was responsible for building up the fleet. His correspondence reveals the image of a very well connected liberal statesman with great loyalty to his Emperor who had a problematic relationship with the Imperial Chancellor.

The journals of the historian Alexander Carellieri (1967 1955) record the life of an extraordinary scholar and give insight about the mentality of the educated bourgeoisie in Germany between the Wilhelmine era and the early two-state period. Recorded over many decades, the journals reveal the life and work of an internationally known historian with deep national roots.