Walther Holtzmann Card Files
The Walther Holtzmann card files present the papal letters (AD 1148–1198) which Holtzmann identified as papal decretals in alphabetical order according to their incipit. With his research on papal decretals, Holtzmann drew on his work for the Italia Pontificia and continued the work of Paul Jaffé on the Regesta Pontificum, and its second edition by Loewenfeld (JL). The now digitized versions of the typescript card files contain information of the decretal collections that the respective papal letters were transmitted in, in the Middle Ages. Often, the cards feature bibliographical information (up to ca. 1955) and the corrections to JL that were added by Holtzmann.
Notes for the user
(1) The possible research strategies on this site have been refined in comparison to the former homepage of the Stephan Kuttner Institute for Medieval Canon Law.
(2) Now, a specific search for the Jaffé-Loewenfeld (JL) number (on the top right corner of the front of each card), the Walther Holtzmann (WH) number (stamped in ink, also on the top right corner of the front of a card), and of course the incipits can be made. To start a search, users should press the Quick search buttons on the left-hand side of the database. In addition, a full-text search (according to numbers as well as to full-text) is possible by using the free search field at the top of the database.
(3) Once a decretal has been identified by either incipit or one of the citation numbers and double-clicked, a first overview of the respective card (recto page and possibly also an additional verso page) opening up at the central page. For best consultation of the details of a card please use the yellow button on the right side (“download pdf”).