Prange collection

About Prange collection

The “Gordon W. Prange collection” includes all issues (including books, periodicals, brochures, and newspapers), inspected documents and posters which were published during the period of occupation by the Union from 1945 to 1952. In particular those works published from 1945 to 1949.
Dr. Gordon W. Prange was a professor at the University of Maryland in the United States and also worked in the Civil Censorship Detachment (CCD) of the General Headquarters (GHQ) at the time. He noticed the historical merit of these publications and after the end of the censorship period, endeavored to collect and maintain them in institutions in the United States. Now they are donated to the University of Maryland and housed in its library (McKeldin Library) as Dr. Prange hoped.
This collection is valuable because it makes up for the blank period before the foundation of National Diet Library in June, 1948.

Micro films in Prange collection

The Nichibunken library has a complete collection of all “periodicals” and “newspapers” in the “Gordon W. Prange collection”.

Periodicals collection

It is divided into “politics, low, and government”, “economy”, “society and labor”, “war (including repatriation, dependent territory, demobilization), “education”, “history and geography”, “philosophy and religion”, “art, language, sports, and amusement”, “science technology”, “periodicals and library”, “general journal”, “magazines”, “magazines for children”. It contains a total of 13,743 titles (62,976 micro fiches).

Newspapers collection

It consists of some well-known newspapers from the occupation period as well as their records of inspections. It also includes several obscure newspapers, and an enormous amount of newspapers published by various groups such as the young men’s association, groups of residents, labor unions, public halls, political organizations and so on. It contains a total of 18,047 titles (3,826 micro reels).

How to use

Please apply in advance to use the Prange collection. Please fill out the application below and send it by e-mail or fax one week before the desired time of usage. We will inform you about the availability of the collection. Please request only an amount of material that you will be able to finish within the day.

• Prange collection application form (periodicals) Excel format
  Certainly send according to the shelf number.
• Prange collection application form (newspapers) Excel format
  Certainly send according to the reel number.

You can search via the following databases:

The Database of Newspapers and Magazines Published during the Post-war Occupation Period from 1945 to 1949

URL: http://m20thdb.jp/login

Prange collection (newspapers collection) database

URL: http://www.bunsei.co.jp/prange/np_list/db/index.htm