Federal Republic of Germany (from 1949)
Access may be gained in the Federal Archives to the national archives of central civilian and military bodies of the Federal Republic of Germany. It contains audio-visual sources as well as current records in conventional and digital form, and is supplemented by collections and records of private origin. Furthermore the Federal Archives edits the Cabinet records of the Federal Government in academic form.
The holdings of the Federal Archive comprise
- the supreme Federal authorities
- the higher and central Federal authorities
- the law courts of the Federation
- administrative agencies and institutions of the Federal Government, and foundations under public law.
The Federal Archives also has at its disposal
- Pictures and posters
- Films and supplementary documents on film history
- Maps, plans and technical drawings
- Records and personal papers from people of national importance
- Archives from parties, associations, organisations, unions and movements
- Personal files from members of the federal administration (selection), the armed forces and the federal defence administration
- Collections
- Official printed archives
- Library holdings.
The Federal Government and the federal administration, as well as military bodies and associations, transfer their records to the Federal Archives. The records of the Foreign Office are accessible in the Political Archive of the Foreign Office. The German Bundestag (Parliament) and the Bundesrat (upper house of the German Parliament) maintain their own archives. With a few exceptions, the current records of federal authorities with regional responsibility are accessible in state archives.
You will find further information on the reference pages Official printed archives, Library, Pictures and posters, Film, Maps, plans and technical drawings, Military bodies and associations, Personal papers and Collections .
Special groups
Research options
- ARGUS (Archival Search Engine)
- Picture database
- Central database personal papers
- Edition "Die Kabinettsprotokolle der Bundesregierung" (Cabinet records of the Federal Government)
- Online catalogue of the library
- Inventories and other finding aids
Advices for reference
The regulations governing the use of the reference service are contained in the Federal Archives Act (BArchG), the Federal Archives access regulations, the Federal Archives cost regulations and the reading room regulations of the Federal Archives. Please note that specific legal and contractual provisions may apply in the case of access to personal records and archives of private origin with copyright implications.
Reference locations
Several places provide a reference service for the Federal Archives:
Koblenz
- Civilian agencies and law courts of the Federation
- Official printed archives
- Archives of parties, associations and organisations
- Records and personal papers from people of national importance
- Contemporary historical collections
- Pictures and posters
- Maps, plans and technical drawings
- Archives of parties, associations and organisations
- Sounds
- Library holdings
Freiburg
- Federal Ministry of Defence
- Armed forces
- Federal defence administration
- Soldiers groups and military associations
- Personal files of members of the armed forces and the federal defence administration
- Personal papers from members of the military
- Pictures and posters of military origin
- Maps of military origin
- Military history collections
- Official printed archives
- Library holdings
Bayreuth
- Files from the burden-sharing administrations
- Documentation on the former eastern territories of Germany and the settlement areas in east and south-east Europe
- Library holdings
Ludwigsburg
- Records from the Central Office of the State Justice Administration for the Investigation of National Socialist Crimes
Berlin-Wilmersdorf
- Films and supplementary documents on film history
- Library holdings