Das Jahrbuch für Historische Kommunismusforschung (JHK) wurde 1993 von Hermann Weber begründet. Es widmet sich der Erforschung des Kommunismus als europäischem und globalem Phänomen und informiert in Aufsätzen, Forschungsberichten, Dokumentationen und Rezensionen über neue Ergebnisse der internationalen Kommunismusforschung. Die Bundesstiftung zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur hat seit 2004 die Trägerschaft des JHK übernommen.

Since 1993 the "Jahrbuch für historische Kommunismusforschung" (Yearbook for Historical Communist Studies) has become an essential forum for scholarly exchange and discussion concerning the history of communism in the 20th century. It has been created in order to present to the interested public the results of the scholarly international research which is not orientated towards the everyday debate over politics. With articles based on original research, book reviews, the publication of original documents, and miscellanea the Jahrbuch has created more and more interest among a public beyond the scholarly community. From the 2000/2001 issue on, the Yearbook includes The International Newsletter of Communist Studies which has been published also since 1993. Since 2004 the Yearbook is based in Berlin and commissioned by the Stiftung zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur (Foundation for the Reappraisal of SED-dictatorship).