Goethes Werke: IV. Abteilung, 8. Band

This volume belongs to the Weimarer Ausgabe, also known as the Sophienausgabe, which stands as the authoritative historical-critical edition of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's complete works. Commissioned by Grand Duchess Sophie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach in the late 19th century, the project aimed to consolidate the entirety of Goethe's writings, including his vast scientific treatises and voluminous personal correspondence, into a comprehensive scholarly record that remains the foundation for modern Goethe studies.

The fourth section of the series is dedicated exclusively to the author's correspondence, and the eighth volume captures a specific period of Goethe's intellectual and administrative life in Weimar. The editorial design adheres to rigorous philological standards developed by a committee of scholars overseen by the Goethe- und Schiller-Archiv. Upon its initial release, the series was celebrated for its unprecedented archival depth, providing researchers with the primary source material necessary to understand the evolution of German literary thought.