Paul Hindemith had already made considerations for the safekeeping and nurture of his musical estate in an initial will dating from 1958. After his death, his widow Gertrud began to sort through the material and arrange it systematically. In her own will, she disposed as follows: »... The entire archive with manuscripts, sketches, library, instruments, possibly several pieces of furniture, drawings, etc. should be given to an Institute that is willing to make available several rooms (or a floor) and to pave the way for the necessary specialist personnel for its care and supervision ...« The Hindemith Foundation fulfilled this wish by establishing the Hindemith Institute Frankfurt as an archive and research centre in 1974.
At the same time, the Hindemith Institute was designated as the location of the Hindemith Complete Edition whose publication had commenced at the Schott-Verlag in Mainz in 1971.
Directors of the Institute:1974-1991 Dr. Dieter Rexroth1991-2011 Professor Dr. Giselher Schubertsince 2011 Dr. Susanne Schaal-Gotthardt
