Bilddatenbank – Digital Picture Archives of the Bundesarchiv – Federal Archives of Germany

History and Background

The Digital Picture Archives of the Federal Archives of Germany (Bundesarchiv-Bilddatenbank) is an online image database. It provides access to a continuously growing selection of digitized photographs, aerial images, and posters drawn from the Bundesarchiv's approximately 20 million photographs, which document German history from the 1860s to the present.

Established in 1952 as the central archive of the Federal Republic, the Bundesarchiv’s photographic collections grew, through acquisition of records from government bodies, media organisations, and private collections, spanning modern German history from the imperial era through the Weimar Republic, the National Socialist period, the post-war division, and reunification. Physical holdings begin with 19th-century depictions, with the first photographs dating from 1860. The Digital Picture Archives database was created to make a representative selection accessible online. Government press  photography from the Federal Press and Information Office (Bundespresseamt/BPA) were integrated, by November 2008, into the database.

Collections and Holdings

The database contains images grouped into major “funds” (Bestände=Colllection) corresponding to key periods and institutions of German history. Key funds include the Weimar Republic period (Bild 102 – Aktuelle-Bilder-Centrale, Georg Pahl), the National Socialist period with Wehrmacht propaganda photography (Bild 101 – Propagandakompanien der Wehrmacht, covering Army/Air Force, Navy, and Waffen-SS), German Democratic Republic (GDR) era photography including the ADN/Zentralbild (East German official photographs) central press agency holdings of approximately 5.5 million images (Bild 183), GDR everyday photography (Bild 226, N 1648), Federal Republic press photography (B 145 Bild – Presse- und Informationsamt der Bundesregierung), and colonial-era photographs from German East Africa, German South West Africa (Namibia), and Kamerun. Researchers should note that captions on images from the Wehrmacht propaganda units may contain ideologically influenced texts that do not accurately describe the photographs or original situations.

Access and Usage

The database is accessible without registration for browsing and searching at www.bild.bundesarchiv.de. For a fee, a download of watermark-free high-resolution images is available to registered researchers. Registration, terms of use, and cost schedules are detailed on the website. The database supports full-text retrieval, advanced search, and research by subject, person, or locale.

Bundesarchiv (Federal Archives of Germany) – Digital Picture Archives

Bundesarchiv, Referat AV 5
Potsdamer Straße 1
D-56075 Koblenz, Germany

Tel. +49 (0)30 18665-1152
Fax +49 (0)30 18665-1807

Email: bild@bundesarchiv.de

Website: www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/dba/en

For questions about images of the Federal Press Office (source / watermark: Federal Government), please contact the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government directly, Department 412 - Federal Image Office

Dorotheenstr. 84
D-10117 Berlin
Email: bilderdienst@bpa.bund.de
Phone +49 (0)30 18 272-2336
Fax +49 (0)30 18 272-2305

Federal Archives main site: www.bundesarchiv.de/en

Federal Press Office pictures: bilderdienst@bpa.bund.de  

+49 (0)30 18 272-2336