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Tasks of the Archives - The Federal Archive
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<div class="dropdown-columns"> <div class="dropdown-column--left"> <ul class="second-level"> <li> <a href="/en/federal-archives/tasks-of-the-archives/" title="Tasks of the Archives" class="second-level--link is-active" aria-current="page"> Tasks of the Archives </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/federal-archives/organisations/" title="Organisation" class="second-level--link has-third-level"> Organisation </a> <ul class="third-level"> <li> <a href="/en/federal-archives/organisations/departments/" title="Departments" class="third-level--link"> Departments </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/federal-archives/organisation/management/" title="Management" class="third-level--link"> Management </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="/en/federal-archives/locations/" title="Locations" class="second-level--link"> Locations </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/federal-archives/legal-basis/" title="Legal Basis" class="second-level--link has-third-level"> Legal Basis </a> <ul class="third-level"> <li> <a 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</a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/federal-archives/cooperations/international-cooperations-of-the-stasi-records-archive/" title="International Cooperations of the Stasi Records Archive" class="third-level--link"> International Cooperations of the Stasi Records Archive </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="/en/federal-archives/national-archive-in-numbers/" title="Federal Archive in Numbers" class="second-level--link"> Federal Archive in Numbers </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/federal-archives/submit-documents/" title="Submission of Documents" class="second-level--link"> Submission of Documents </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </li> <li> <div> <a title="Stasi Records Archive" class="top-level--link has-second-level" aria-expanded="false" aria-selected="false" aria-haspopup="true" role="button"> Stasi Records Archive </a> </div> <div class="dropdown" aria-hidden="true"> <div class="inner"> <div class="dropdown-heading"> <button class="dropdown-close-btn"> <i class="icon-cross" aria-hidden="true"></i> <span class="is-invisible"> Close navigation </span> </button> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/" title="Stasi Records Archive" class="text-icon"> <span>Overview: Stasi Records Archive</span> <svg viewBox="0 0 80 80" aria-hidden="true" class="svg-arrow-right"><path fill="currentColor" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M45.662 11.988c0 .95.365 1.9 1.096 2.659l20.822 21.65H3.653C1.643 36.297 0 38.006 0 40.095s1.644 3.798 3.653 3.798H67.58l-20.822 21.65c-.73.76-1.096 1.71-1.096 2.659 0 .95.365 1.899 1.096 2.659 1.461 1.519 3.653 1.519 5.114 0l27.032-28.107c1.461-1.52 1.461-3.799 0-5.318L51.872 9.14c-1.461-1.519-3.653-1.519-5.114 0-.73.76-1.096 1.71-1.096 2.85Z" /></svg> </a> </div> <div class="dropdown-columns"> <div class="dropdown-column--left"> <ul class="second-level"> <li> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/tasks-and-structure/" title="Tasks and Structure" class="second-level--link"> Tasks and Structure </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/access-to-records/" title="Access to Records" class="second-level--link"> Access to Records </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/stasi-headquarters-campus-for-democracy/" title="Stasi Headquarters. Campus for Democracy" class="second-level--link"> Stasi Headquarters. Campus for Democracy </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/legal-basis/" title="Legal Basis" class="second-level--link"> Legal Basis </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/education/" title="Education" class="second-level--link has-third-level"> Education </a> <ul class="third-level"> <li> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/education/exhibitions-and-museum/" title="Exhibitions and Museum" class="third-level--link"> Exhibitions and Museum </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/education/school-education/" title="School Education" class="third-level--link"> School Education </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/education/publications/" title="Publications" class="third-level--link"> Publications </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/education/what-was-the-state-security/" title="What was the State Security?" class="third-level--link"> What was the State Security? </a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/the-reconstruction-of-torn-documents/" title="The Reconstruction of Torn Documents" class="second-level--link"> The Reconstruction of Torn Documents </a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> </header> <main> <nav class="breadcrumb" aria-label="your actual position"><ol><li><a href="/en/">The Federal Archives</a></li><li><i class="icon-chevron-right" aria-hidden="true"></i><a href="/en/federal-archives/">Federal Archives</a></li><li><i class="icon-chevron-right" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="current" aria-current="page">Tasks of the Archives</span></li></ol></nav> <a id="main-content" tabindex="-1"></a> <!--TYPO3SEARCH_begin--> <div class="pageHeader-sub"> <div class="inner"> <figure> <picture><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/2/0/csm_BArch_B_198_Bild-2016-0922-001_luftbild_Standort_Koblenz_e6024fad4a.jpg" media="(max-width: 600px)" type="image/jpeg"><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/2/0/csm_BArch_B_198_Bild-2016-0922-001_luftbild_Standort_Koblenz_94c56426d3.jpg" media="(max-width: 900px)" type="image/jpeg"> <img src="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/2/0/csm_BArch_B_198_Bild-2016-0922-001_luftbild_Standort_Koblenz_2a5bcd05fd.jpg" title="" alt="From the air: Federal Archives in Koblenz" height="500" width="1440"></picture> <figcaption class="toggle"> <button> <i class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></i> <span class="is-invisible"> Show image description </span> </button> <p> Source: <abbr title="Federal Archives of Germany" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">BArch</abbr>, B 198 Bild-2016-0922-001 / Weber, Günter </p> </figcaption> </figure> <header> <h1 class="exclude-from-search"> Tasks of the Federal Archives </h1> <p>The Federal Archives has the legal mandate to permanently preserve the archival holdings of the Federal Government and make them available for use. This includes documents such as files, maps, images, posters, films and audio recordings in analogue and digital form.</p> </header> </div> </div> <!--TYPO3SEARCH_end--> <section class="jump-marks" data-unstick=""> <div class="jump-marks__list"> <div class="inner"> <p>Jump to content</p> <ul> <li class="visible-items"> <ul> <li> <button data-to="c53439"> <i class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></i> <span class="marker-text">Collection and Preservation</span> </button> </li> <li> <button data-to="c53440"> <i class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></i> <span class="marker-text">Safeguarding Holdings</span> </button> </li> <li> <button data-to="c53442"> <i class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></i> <span class="marker-text">Activity Reports</span> </button> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="hidden-items" id="hidden-marks" aria-hidden="true"> <ul> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="jump-marks__sticky"> <div class="inner"> <div class="accordion-head"> <div class="jump-control__buttons"> <button class="prev-button" tabindex="-1"> <span class="is-invisible"> Jump to the previous section </span> <i class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></i> </button> <button class="next-button" tabindex="-1"> <span class="is-invisible"> Jump to the next section </span> <i class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></i> </button> </div> <div class="jump-control__current"> <button class="toggle-button" aria-controls="sticky-panel" aria-expanded="false" tabindex="-1"> <span class="accordion-head--heading" id="sticky-heading"></span> <span class="is-invisible"> Show/hide content </span> <i class="icon" aria-hidden="true"></i> </button> </div> </div> <div class="accordion-body" id="sticky-panel" aria-labelledby="sticky-heading" aria-hidden="true"> <div> <ul> <li> <button data-to="c53439"> <span class="marker-text">Collection and Preservation</span> </button> </li> <li> <button data-to="c53440"> <span class="marker-text">Safeguarding Holdings</span> </button> </li> <li> <button data-to="c53442"> <span class="marker-text">Activity Reports</span> </button> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="progress"><div class="progress-bar"></div></div> </div> </div> </section> <!--TYPO3SEARCH_begin--> <div class="article-content is-narrow"> <h2 id="c53439" tabindex="0"> Collection and Preservation </h2> <p>These documents were created by central authorities of the Holy Roman Empire (1495-1806), the German Confederation (1815-1866), the German Reich (1867/71-1945), the occupation zones (1945-1949), the German Democratic Republic (1949-1990) and the Federal Republic of Germany (since 1949).</p> <p>The Federal Archives determines whether the documents are “worthy of archiving”, i.e. whether they are of lasting value for researching and understanding the past and present, for safeguarding the legitimate interests of citizens or for legislation, administration and jurisdiction.</p> <p>The Federal Archives also collects written records from the estates of important persons, documents of political parties, associations and organisations of national importance as well as journalistic sources.</p> <p>The Federal Archives guarantees access to the archival materials of the federal government while protecting private or public interests. In principle, every person has the right to request the use of federal archival records. The Federal Archives provides information about the archival records on several research platforms. A small but steadily growing part of the holdings is also available for online use in digital form on these research platforms.</p> </div> <div class="article-content is-narrow"> <h2 id="c53440" tabindex="0"> Safeguarding Holdings </h2> <p>The Federal Archives tasks also include</p><ul> <li>the published cabinet minutes of the Federal Government</li> <li>the series “Documents on German Policy” and</li> <li>the files of the Reich Chancellery.</li> </ul><p>The files of the Reich Chancellery are published in cooperation with the Historical Commission at the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities</p> </div> <section class="banner"> <div class="inner"> <div class="items"> <div class="item"> <div class="media"> <picture><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/2/0/csm_archive_berlin_files-02_11f119d7d0.jpg" media="(max-width: 600px)" type="image/jpeg"><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/2/0/csm_archive_berlin_files-02_4c2b09c6de.jpg" media="(max-width: 900px)" type="image/jpeg"><source srcset="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/2/0/csm_archive_berlin_files-02_94429ca8e8.jpg" media="(max-width: 1200px)" type="image/jpeg"> <img src="/assets/bundesarchiv/en/_processed_/2/0/csm_archive_berlin_files-02_962f9084e4.jpg" title="Files in the Berlin Archive" alt="Files in the Berlin Archive, Source: BStU" height="720" width="1440"></picture> </div> <div class="text"> <div class="ani"> <h3 class="is-h1 underlined underlined--negative"> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/" title="Read more" target="_self"> <span> The <abbr title="State Security Service" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">Stasi</abbr> Records Archive </span> </a> </h3> <p class="is-large">Since 17 June 2021, the Federal Archives has also been responsible for the documents of the <abbr title="German Democratic Repubic" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">GDR</abbr> State Security Service.</p> <a href="/en/stasi-records-archive/" title="Read more" target="_self" class="button button--negative"> <span>Read more</span> <svg viewBox="0 0 80 80" aria-hidden="true" class="svg-arrow-right"> <path fill="currentColor" fill-rule="nonzero" d="M45.662 11.988c0 .95.365 1.9 1.096 2.659l20.822 21.65H3.653C1.643 36.297 0 38.006 0 40.095s1.644 3.798 3.653 3.798H67.58l-20.822 21.65c-.73.76-1.096 1.71-1.096 2.659 0 .95.365 1.899 1.096 2.659 1.461 1.519 3.653 1.519 5.114 0l27.032-28.107c1.461-1.52 1.461-3.799 0-5.318L51.872 9.14c-1.461-1.519-3.653-1.519-5.114 0-.73.76-1.096 1.71-1.096 2.85Z" /> </svg> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </section> <div class="article-content is-narrow"> <h2 id="c53442" tabindex="0"> Activity Reports </h2> <p>Fifteen activity reports of the Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic were published by 2020. The Federal Archives activity report, first published in 2021, describes the transformation process of transferring the <abbr title="Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service of the former German Democratic Republic" lang="en" class="dreipc-abbreviation">BStU</abbr> to the Federal Archives.</p> <p><a href="https://www.bundesarchiv.de/das-bundesarchiv/aufgaben/taetigkeitsberichte/" target="_blank">Read the activity reports</a> (available in German only)</p> </div> <!--TYPO3SEARCH_end--> </main> <button class="back-to-top"> <i class="icon-arrow-up" aria-hidden="true"></i> <span class="is-invisible"> To top </span> </button> <footer class="footer"> <div class="inner"> <div class="items-top"> <div class="item"> <h2 class="is-invisible">Das Bundearchiv auf Socialmedia</h2> <ul class="social-items"> <li class="social-item"> <button class="social-item-button" data-name="Twitter X" data-url-barch="https://twitter.com/BundesarchivD" data-url-bstu="https://twitter.com/StasiArchiv" aria-pressed="false" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-labelledby="footer-twitter"> <span class="is-invisible" id="footer-twitter">Twitter X</span> <i class="icon-twitter-x"></i> </button> </li> <li class="social-item"> <button class="social-item-button" data-name="YouTube" data-url-bstu="https://www.youtube.com/StasiUnterlagenArchiv" aria-pressed="false" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-labelledby="footer-youtube"> <span class="is-invisible" id="footer-youtube">YouTube</span> <i class="icon-youtube"></i> </button> </li> <li class="social-item"> <button class="social-item-button" data-name="Instagram" data-url-barch="https://www.instagram.com/bundesarchivd/" data-url-bstu="https://www.instagram.com/stasizentrale/" aria-pressed="false" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-labelledby="footer-instgram"> <span class="is-invisible" id="footer-instagram">Instagram</span> <i class="icon-instagram"></i> </button> </li> <li class="social-item"> <button class="social-item-button" data-name="Facebook" data-url-bstu="https://www.facebook.com/StasiUnterlagenArchiv/" aria-pressed="false" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" aria-labelledby="footer-facebook"> <span class="is-invisible" id="footer-facebook">Facebook</span> <i class="icon-facebook"></i> </button> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="items-bottom"> <div class="item"> <ul class="meta-linklist"> <li> <a href="/en/imprint/" title="Imprint" target="_self" class="anchor--on" data-imprint-link="{"url":"\/en\/imprint\/","target":"_blank","label":"Imprint"}"> Imprint </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/terms/" title="Terms" target="_self" class="anchor--on"> Terms </a> </li> <li> <a href="/en/data-protection-statement/" title="Data Protection Statement" target="_self" class="anchor--on" data-privacy-policy-link="{"url":"\/en\/data-protection-statement\/","target":"_blank","label":"Data Protection Statement"}"> Data Protection Statement </a> </li> <li><button class="anchor--on" data-cookiebanner-opener="">Cookie Settings</button></li> </ul> </div> <div class="item"> © 2025 Federal Archives. 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