Publications from 1954 on appear only when they are continuations of editions begun by the Commission. The sections vary in the kind of access they provide. Though most of the bibliography simply lists citations, the content of certain publications is described, and an author and keyword index appears at the end of the book . On the whole, this work is a valuable bibliography of the organization whose publications it documents and can serve to stimulate similar bibliographical projects by other German historical commissions. This work is divided into subject chapters and describes 1,076 titles.
Several flaws are apparent in the structure and content of the bibliography.
Not only is the scholar shortchanged by the emphasis on English language works, but there is an imbalance in the number and quality of titles selected for each area. While politics, civics and economics receive satisfactory treatment, the categories of arts and music contain only 31 and 36 titles respectively, and the selection seems absolutely arbitrary. In the music section few general works are cited and monographs on individual musicians predominate. The maps chapter omits the most well known and useful Italian maps and atlases. The bibliography chapter is a conglomeration of titles including an outdated bibliography.