Who's behind the news?
Who's behind the news?
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Newsjunkie.net is a resource guide for journalists. We show who's behind the news, and provide tools to help navigate the modern business of information.
Use of Data
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The Universitätsarchiv Heidelberg (Heidelberg University Archives) is the official institutional archive of the University of Heidelberg, one of Germany's oldest and most distinguished universities, founded in 1386. As a staff unit (Stabsstelle) of the rectorate, the Archives preserves the historical records, administrative documents, and scholarly heritage of the university.
The Archives traces its origins to February 8, 1388, when Marsilius von Inghen—Heidelberg's first rector, barely two years after the university's founding—initiated what would become the University Archives with a small chest (parva archella) placed within the university's strongbox (archa universitatis) behind the main altar of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. This makes the Heidelberg University Archives one of the oldest continuously maintained university archives in the world. Its holdings span from the thirteenth century to the present day.
The current archive collection spans approximately 6,000 linear meters of documents. Holdings include official books, charters, certificates, student and examination files, personal papers, photographs, political pamphlets, architectural plans, and museum pieces—all relating to the history of Heidelberg University. The archives maintains a public reference library of approximately 3,800 volumes focused on university history. The image archive holds around 30,000 pictures including positives, negatives, glass plates, and other image media. Special collections include portraits of noted Heidelberg scholars such as Bunsen, Kirchhoff, Jaspers, and Gadamer.
The reading room is open Tuesday and Wednesday 09:00–18:00 and Thursday 09:00–12:30. Access is free for most services. Researchers are encouraged to contact the Archives in advance. Materials do not circulate. Digitization of the main image collection (approximately 12,000 pictures) was completed in 2003 with support from the Klaus Tschira Foundation.