In spring 2006, five German museums presented the project ‘40 Jahre Videokunst in Deutschland' (40 years of video art in Germany). A substantial DVD edition of more than 50 individual works in combination with a catalogue (Hatje Cantz Verlag) tries to describe the field of video art in Germany since the mid 1960s. In the context of its anniversary programme, transmediale.07 presents this DVD edition and attempts its evaluation in a broader and international context. Therefore similar projects from other countries have also been invited to the transmedi- ale. The panel discussion between the producers of ‘40 Jahre Videokunst' and international colleagues offers a critical debate about such projects of documentation and overview.