Archiv für Zeitgeschichte

  • The Archives of Contemporary History
  • AfZ

Address

Hirschengraben 62
Zürich
Zurich
8092
Switzerland

Phone

+41 44 / 632 40 03

Email


Web

https://afz.ethz.ch/

History

Klaus Urner, then a 24-​year-old history student, founded a "Working Group for Contemporary History" on November 1, 1966, to safeguard his collection of historical documents. The Archives of Contemporary History was born.

Geographical and Cultural Context

The Archives of Contemporary History (AfZ) is part of the Institute of History at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich).

As research center against oblivion, The Archives of Contemporary History belongs to the international community of the Shoa archives. It secures holdings on Swiss contemporary history and functions as a business archive in the greater Zurich area.

Mandates/Sources of Authority

The Archives of Contemporary History at ETH Zurich collects written, audio and visual documents from private collections on the history of Switzerland from the late 19th century to the present. Its services support teaching and research on Swiss contemporary history in an international context.

By safeguarding cultural heritage from contemporary history, it fulfills a task of national importance. As a so-​called special archive, it complements the state's tradition-​building activities. Its activities are supported by the ETH Zurich, by various foundations and by individual private sponsorship.

Records Management and Collecting Policies

The Archives of Contemporary History mainly secures and makes accessible the bequests of natural persons as well as the archives of private organizations which are of nationwide importance. The thematic focus of the collection is on politics, economics and the history of Jews in Switzerland.

In its cataloguing practice, The Archives of Contemporary History follows current international standards. It guarantees the ability to connect to future standards. The analog and digital archival material entrusted to it is permanently preserved in a trustworthy and usable form.

Read more on the acquisition strategy of The Archives of Contemporary History.

Archival and Other Holdings

The Archives of Contemporary History of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich - ETH Zürich - ETH Zurich) collects written and audio-visual documents of private origin on Swiss History from the late 19th century to the present. Furthermore, it makes these historical sources available to the public. With its commitment to safeguarding and preserving Swiss cultural assets, it performs a task of national importance in accordance with the strategic orientation of the ETH Zurich. As a so called specialised archive, it complements the federal archival appraisal. It preserves and indexes mainly personal papers of individuals and archives of private organisations concerning the three thematic areas politics, economy, and history of the Jews in Switzerland. With its services, it enhances teaching and research on Swiss contemporary history in international context. This institution holds Holocaust related collections and projects among which for instance: the "Datenbank zu Presseberichten in jüdischen Periodika" and the "Bildarchiv Schweizer Juden (BASJ)".

Finding Aids, Guides, and Publication

The Archives of Contemporary History of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) collects written and audio-visual documents of private origin on Swiss History from the late 19th century to the present. Furthermore, it makes these historical sources available to the public. With its commitment to safeguarding and preserving Swiss cultural assets, it performs a task of national importance in accordance with the strategic orientation of the ETH Zurich. As a so called specialised archive, it complements the federal archival appraisal. The Archives of Contemporary History (AfZ) is part of the Institute of History at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich). It preserves and indexes mainly personal papers of individuals and archives of private organisations concerning the three thematic areas politics, economy, and history of the Jews in Switzerland. With its services, it enhances teaching and research on Swiss contemporary history in international context. This institution holds Holocaust related collections and projects among which for instance: the "Datenbank zu Presseberichten in jüdischen Periodika" and the "Bildarchiv Schweizer Juden (BASJ)".

Opening Times

Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Research Services

The reading room equipped with the necessary infrastructure is available for consultation of ordered archive material.

  • Workstations
  • Reference library
  • Reflected light scanner
  • Microfilm reader
  • Workstations for research and consultation of digital reproductions
  • AV workstation (Swiss National Sound Archives, Memobase+)
  • Wireless LAN as part of the ETH offer (eduroam, switch)

Reproduction Services

For reproduction as well as for complex research requests, the rates of the fee schedule apply. The use of cameras is permitted. Borrowing of archival or library materials is not possible.

Sources

  • Mémorial institution's website

  • AfZ website

If you can help improve this information please contact us at feedback@ehri-project.eu.

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