Libraries and documentation in Germany : a long-lasting conflict Over a long period librarians and documentalists in Germany had a very different and conflictive view of the need for modern documentation methods, especially in the traditional fields of arts and humanities. But we also know examples for the successful integration of documentation and library work, mainly in the industrial and business sector. The paper gives an overview on the development of documentation in Germany over the last hundred years with the aim to discover the reasons and conditions of the conflict between the two professions. It leads to the conclusion that mostly personnel and political motivations were decisive for the misunderstandings and troubles. But time has overcome the conflicts and it is now the time for cooperation.