Historic overview of past congresses of arachnology and of the Centre International de Documentation Arachnologique (CIDA)

In 1959, Hermann Wiehle encouraged junior colleagues to arrange a meeting f or arachnologists. This was held in 1960 at the University of Bonn, Germany , and is counted as the first in the series of international congresses. Af ter a second conference, held just one year later in Saarbrucken, Germany, a third truly international congress followed in 1965 in Frankfurt am Main. On this occasion, Max Vachon presented his idea to form what was later cal led the C.I.D.A. This institution was formally established at the occasion of the 4th congress, held in Paris in 1968. Detailed information on the ori gins, the series of congresses, and the C.I.D.A. up to 1968 is presented.