The Conference on Algebraic Geometry, held in Berlin 9-15 March 1988, was organised by the Sektion Mathematik of the Humboldt-Universitat. The organising committee consisted of H. Kurke, W. Kleinert, G. Pfister and M. Roczen. The Conference is one in a series organised by the Humboldt-Universitat at regular intervals of two or three years, with the purpose of providing a meeting place for mathematicians from eastern and western countries. The present volume contains elaborations of part of the lectures presented at the Conference and some articles on related subjects. All papers were subject to the regular refereeing procedure of Compositio Mathematica, and H. Kurke acted as a guest editor of this journal. The papers focus on actual themes in algebraic geometry and singularity theory, such as vector bundles, arithmetical algebraic geometry, intersection theory, moduli and Hodge theory. We are grateful to all those who, by their hospitality, their presence at the Con­ ference, their support or their written contributions, have made this Conference to a success. The editors Compositio Mathematica 76: viii, 1990.