
This article will try and list many of the free ones. There may be some that you are aware of that are not on this list, so please weigh in in the comments. But this is intended to be a "starter" list for those of you with European ancestors. (Please be aware that a couple in the list below are free to search but require payment to see and download the image)
I would start with the Europeana collection, a collective of several dozen participating partners. There are over 10 million pages available (the list is below).
Some on these lists are indexed and full-text searchable, some are browse only; some have English translation capability, some do not. Some are easy to navigate while others may present quite a challenge.
Please note that these links to free newspaper research sites are accurate at the time of publication. Collection updates may occur (as well as dead links) in the future, both of which are out of my control. It is not the intention of the author (me) to maintain a complete or constantly updated list for all time. In other words, please don't yell at me if this is not 100% complete and/or accurate forever.
Europeana
A collaboration of 23 member countries libraries and archives that makes over 10 million newspaper pages available for searching.
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
- Illustreret Tiende Online (1859-1924)
Estonia
Finland
France
- Gallica
- L'Express (1993–)
- La Gazette de France (1786)
- L'Humanité (1990–)
- Mercure François (1605–1643)
Germany
- Amtspresse Preussens
- Bayerische Landesbibliothek Online - Schwerpunkt Zeitungen
- Berlin State Library
- Berliner Tageblatt (1878-1929)
- Bergsträßer Anzeigeblatt (1861-1968)
- Compact Memory
- Digitales Forum Mittel- & Osteuropa (DiFMOE)
- Digitalisierte Zeitungen Bayerns
- Düsseldorf University digital newspapers & magazines (1769-1937)
- Flörsheimer Zeitung (1906–1932)
- Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Archiv
- Freiburger Historische Bestände - digitalisiert
- Henneberger Zeitung (1872–1899)
- Internetarchiv jüdischer Periodika (1806–1938)
- Jenaer Volksblatt (1900–1925)
- Locomotive: Zeitung für politische Bildung des Volkes
- Munich Digitization Center digital library (18th - 20th centuries)
- Journals & newspapers from the Freiburg region
- Der Spiegel (1947–)
- ULB Halle - Historische Zeitungen - digital
- Universal Multimedia Electronic Library (UrMEL)
- Universitätsbibliothek Augsburg - Zeitungen
- Die Vossische Zeitung Online. 1918-1934
- Wormser Zeitung (1843-1876)
- Die Zeit (1946–)
- ZEFYS Zeitungsinformationssystem
Greece
Hungary
- Elektronikus Periodika Archivum
- Helyi Lapok (1842–2007)
- "Lucian Blaga" Digital Library
- Pester Lloyd (1891–1904, 1908–1922)
- Pressburger Zeitung (1766–1832)
- South Hungary archive (1910–1945)
- Transsylvanica
- Vasárnapi Ujság (1854–1921)
Iceland
Ireland
- Trinity News (1953-1970)
- Belfast Newsletter (1737–1800)
- Church of Ireland Gazette (1913)
- Galway Advertiser archive (1970–)
- Irish Newspaper Archives
- Villanova University Digital Library
Italy
- Вiblioteca dello sport
- l'Emeroteca Digitale (1759–1911)
- Emeroteca Italiana
- Emilia region newspapers (1848–1950)
- Dr. Friedrich Teßmann Library
- Le Gazzette Bolognesi (1645–1796)
- Pisa newspapers
- La Stampa (1867–)
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Netherlands
- The Dutch Underground Press
- Historische Kranten National Library
- Historische kranten in beeld / Digitised Newspapers 1910-1945
- Koninklijke Bibliotheek (1618–1995)
- Krantenbank Zeeland Zeeuwse Bibliotheek
- Leeuwarder Courant archive
- City of Leiden's newspapers 1720–1995
- Digital newspaper archive Eemland
Norway
Poland
- ABC Nowiny codziennne (1926–1939)
- Czas (1848–1939)
- Digital Library of Wroclaw University
- Dziennik Poranny (1935–1939)
- Dziennik Polski (1945–1983)
- e-Kolekcja Czasopism Polskich
- Gazeta Lwowska (1811–1939)
- Ilustrowany Kurier Codzienny (1912–1939)
- Goniec Krakowski (1939–1945)
- Małopolska Digital Library
- Digital collection of Polish newspapers and magazines
- Tygodnik Ilustrowany
- A collection of 560 Polish-language publications from September 1939
Portugal
Romania
- DacoRomanica
- Digital Library "Lucian Blaga"
- Gazeta de Transilvania
- Glasul Minorităţilor (1923-1942)
- Teatrul (1956-1989)
- Transsylvanica
Russia
- Current Digest of Post-Soviet Press
- Pravda Digital Archive
- Izvestiia Digital Archive
- Literaturnaia gazeta
- Старые газеты
- Olonetskiie Gubernskiie Vedomosti (1838-1917)
- «Ведомости» (Vedmosti)
- Электронная библиотека современной городской прессы Санкт-Петербурга
- Zhurnaly M. i F. Dostoevskikh
Slovenia
Spain
- ABC (1891–)
- Andalusia[edit]
- ARCA Arxiu de Revistes Catalanes Antigues
- Arxiu municipal de Lleida
- BAUEN Cercador de premsa històrica local digitalitzada
- Biblioteca Municipal de Donostia-San Sebastián
- Biblioteca Municipal Donostia
- Biblioteca virtual de Prensa Histórica
- Bizkaiko Foru Aldundia
- Diputació de Barcelona
- El Mundo Deportivo (1906–2010)
- El Periódico de Catalunya (1978–2014)
- Fons local de publicacions històriques digitalitzades
- Hemeroteca de Gijón
- Hemeroteca Digital
- Hemeroteca històrica digital de la Biblioteca de l'Ateneu Barcelonés
- La Vanguardia (1881–2010)
- Premsa tarragonina digitalitzada
- Prensa Galega
- Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha. Biblioteca Virtual
Switzerland
- Archives historiques L’Express et L’Impartial
- Archives historiques Le Temps
- Archivio digitale Sbt dei Quotidiani e Periodici (AQP)
- Bande Mataram "Monthly Organ of Indian Independence" (1913–1914)
- Freiburger Nachrichten (1864–1920)
- Gazette de Berne. Nouvelles de divers endroits (1689–1798)
- Intelligenzblatt der Stadt Bern (1834–1922)
- L'Express / L'Impartial Archives
- La Liberté (1871–1920)
- réro DOC Digital Library
- Scriptorium platform - Bibliothèque cantonale et universitaire – Lausanne
- Swiss Press Online
United Kingdom
- Richard Heaton's Index to Digitalised British and Irish Newspapers Online
- AJR Journal (1946– )
- Ayr Advertiser (1803–1835)
- Colburn's United Service Magazine
- Gazettes - UK
- Georgian and early Victorian regional newspapers (1750's–1870's)
- Guardian Century (1899–1999)
- Highland History & Culture
- Internet Library of Early Journals
- National Library of Wales
- Nineteenth Century Serials Edition (six 19th-century British publications)
- The Spectator (London) (1828–2008)
- Sowerby Bridge Chronicle (1899–1904)
- The Strand (1891–1922)
- Word on the Street 1650-1910