German and international survey data

The survey data portfolio in the GESIS comprises some 5000 national and international studies. This large archive holding consists of single cross-section studies or replicative surveys, as well as studies from longitudinal and international comparative programmes. It provides an extraordinary broad  range of topics for secondary analysis (re-analysis) in research and training.

Through the the data catalogue (DBK) the complete holdings can be searched. Primary data and questionnaires are made available for online ordering or download after registration. In addition the free-text retrieval system QBase allows for searching a large holding of questionnaires in English or German language.

Monitoring society and social change in Germany, international comparative survey research and the election studies can be emphasized as key areas. “Added value“ processing and detailed documentation of these large and complex data bases is carried out in the context of the corresponding GESIS Research Data Centres (FDZ). Most of these data browsed and downloaded through the ZACAT portal.

  • ALLBUS - Allgemeine Bevölkerungsumfrage der Sozialwissenschaften

  • German Election Studies
    • German Longitudinal Election Study (GLES)
    • German Federal Election Studies 1949-2005
    • Politbarometer
    • Studies on Federal State Elections
    • DeutschlandTrend
    • Forsa-Bus


Moreover, particularly complex longitudinal data bases and historically important data collections, for example from the empirical social research in the former GDR, have been pooled, documented and – whenever  necessary – processed in the context of special and dedicated projects.