Ibero-American Institute

In addition, it received the Mexico library of geographer Hermann Hagen, who had collected 25,000 volumes with the support of Mexican president Plutarco Elías Calles.

When the Institute for Latin America Studies in Hamburg closed in 1930, its inventory of approximately 10,000 volumes was then transferred to the IAI.

Thus by the time of its founding, the IAI was already in possession of about 120,000 volumes, a specialized and comprehensive collection that included many rare and valuable books.

Both were initially housed in the Prussian Royal Stables building (German: Neue Marstall), a grand edifice in central Berlin-Mitte.

Under the direction of Wilhelm Faupel, the Nazi envoy to rebel General Francisco Franco, the institute became integrally involved in diplomatic relations between the Third Reich, Spain and Argentina.