Niklas Luhmann and his Zettelkasten

Anyone who wants to investigate Luhmann’s Zettelkästen in detail needs to start with reliable sources. The most trustworthy source would be Luhmann’s texts itself. He didn’t describe his system thoroughly but left some valuable insights.

1. The slip box itself implicitly contains the techniques of work. However, extracting and analyzing these techniques is not an easy task. It is necessary to use source studies in order to determine the role Zettelkästen played in the processing of information and the production of new texts.
2. Inside of Luhmann’s Zettelkasten there is a series of entries on the principles of note-taking.
3. Luhmann’s system theory has many parallels with his understanding of Zettelkästen, as the slip box is also a system. Luhmann’s statements about slip boxes can be better understood in the light of his theory. However, such a comparative analysis is also an extremely complex endeavor.
4. The article “Kommunikation mit Zettelkästen. Öffentliche Meinung und Sozialer Wandel.” Here, Luhmann openly shares his thoughts on the nuances of the system.
5. The chapter “Lesen lernen” in the book “Niklas Luhmann. Short Cuts.” Here, Luhmann discusses reading and briefly mentions his index card system.
6. Luhmann’s insightful interview with Rainer Erd und Andrea Maihofer in the book “Niklas Luhmann. Archimedes und wir Interviews” delves into his writing practices. In this conversation, Luhmann reiterates most of the points made in his article. However, the interview format makes the material more vivid.
7. Another interview that delves into Luhmann’s working style is his conversation with Wolfgang Hagen in “Warum haben Sie keinen Fernseher, Herr Luhmann? Letzte Gespräche mit Niklas Luhmann.
8. There’s a three-minute segment in the documentary “Niklas Luhmann — Beobachter im Krähennest” where Luhmann showcases his system
9. There are almost certainly scattered memories of Luhmann’s students and colleagues. He told many people about his Zettelkästen. Some memories may be shared by his children. It is incredibly difficult to collect such material, although it is where valuable insights can be gleaned.