The research project examines the corporate and family history of the Burda publishing house under three political systems (the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, and the Federal Republic of Germany) as part of and in the context of an overarching history of media, society, and mentality.

It is led by an independent research commission which includes Prof. Dr. Norbert Frei (Jena), PD Dr. Tim Schanetzky (Essen) and Prof. Dr. Sybille Steinbacher (Frankfurt am Main). Another part of the project is hosted by the University of Frankfurt (Main) at the Lehrstuhl zur Geschichte und Wirkung des Holocaust (chair of history and impact of the Holocaust).