… auf Deutsch

From 16.-22.July 2012 we were privileged to host the international Digital Humanities conference at Hamburg University, the official annual event held under the auspices of ADHO (Alliance of Digital Humanities Associations). It turned out to be the biggest DH conference to date: More than 530 delegates from four continents attended and the core program comprised some 200 papers in five parallel tracks – thanks are due to the program committee chaired by Paul Spence and an army of peer reviewers who selected these from some 400 submissions (another record number to date). In addition to the presentations numerous workshops, a poster presentation, a programmer’s boot camp and a multi-facetted social program formed part of the event. But not only the response of the academic community was truly inspiring (and, to be honest, overwhelming: we had expected some 250-300 attendents…) – equally positive was the resonance which this event found in the public sphere and media.

The conference is documented in detail on the  DH 2012 conference website which also includes video podcasts for most presentations and for the keynote lectures. The comprehensive 580 page Book of Abstracts is avalaible for download as well.

In parallel to the main conference we also organized the DHd UnConference, the founding conference of the German Chapter DHd – Digital Humanities im deutschsprachigen Raum . The UnConference was financially supported by the VolkswagenStiftung – many thanks!

The DH 2012 itself was made possible by a gracious DFG grant and our sponsors Oxford University Press und Google Inc. The University of Hamburg und the Senat of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg also granted substantial financial and symbolic support, the latter in the form of a reception in the Town Hall’s “Kaisersaal” (Emperor’s Hall) and a welcoming address by the Senator and Vice Mayor Dr. Dorothee Stapelfeldt.

My thanks go to everyone who made this possible, and in particular to the hard working local conference team and our twelve international student assistants, all headed by Katrin Schönert, my conference assistant.