Universitätsarchiv der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin University Archive

Overview

The Universitätsarchiv (University Archive) of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin is a unit of the Universitätsbibliothek (University Library) that preserves the institutional memory of one of Europe's most historically significant universities. It holds the official records, historical sources, and academic bequests of the university and its predecessor and affiliated institutions from 1810 to the present.

History and Background

The Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin was founded in 1810 as the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität zu Berlin, shaped by the educational philosophy of Wilhelm von Humboldt. The university archive preserves records from its founding, including documentation of the Rektorat (rectorate), faculties, and institutes. Holdings also encompass records of several formerly independent Prussian higher education institutions later absorbed into the university: the Tierärztliche Hochschule (Veterinary College, from 1817), the Landwirtschaftliche Hochschule (Agricultural College, from 1882), the Forstliche Hochschule Eberswalde (Forestry College, from 1821), the Wirtschaftshochschule Berlin (Business School, from 1905), and the Charité teaching hospital (from 1720 to 2004). The archive was reorganized under the University Library following later administrative restructuring.

Collections and Holdings

The archive holds documents pertaining to all qualification and employment matters at the university; student rolls (Matrikel); draft leaving certificates; student card files; examination files from doctoral, habilitation, and appointment procedures; personnel files of scholars; a photograph collection; and the papers (Nachlässe) of university scholars. The University Library's broader historical collections include Wilhelm von Humboldt's linguistic library, private libraries of classical scholars such as August Boeckh and Karl Müllenhoff, the Theodor Fontane Library and the archive of the literary society Tunnel über der Spree (c. 13,000 handwritten documents), an autograph collection of approximately 1,400 items, transcripts of 19th- and 20th-century university lectures, and a portrait collection of former professors.

Access and Usage

The archive's holdings may be consulted at its location in Berlin-Adlershof (Wagner-Régeny-Straße 5, 12489 Berlin). Researchers should contact the archive in advance. Historical and rare library collections are accessible in the Research Reading Room at the Jacob-und-Wilhelm-Grimm-Zentrum in central Berlin.