Archives / Libraries - Single View

„The Central Archives for Research on the History of the Jews in Germany was founded in 1987 as an establishment of the Central Council of Jews in Germany (Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland). The conception of the Central Archives can be compared with that of the former General Archives of the German Jews (Gesamtarchiv der deutschen Juden) located in Berlin 1905- 1939. Storing and cataloguing historically valuable documents from Jewish communities, associations, organizations, and persons are of major concern. As a rule, the records are deposited at the Central Archives. The Central Archives has four employees; available stockroom capacity is approximately 1500 linear meters. A board sets the working guidelines.”

"Cementary documentation

Nearly 2.000 Jewish cemeteries exist today in the Federal Republic of Germany. The total number of Jewish gravestones have been estimated at 600.000. Destruction, willful and by the elements, endanger these tombstones. A major task of the Central Archives in the first years of its existence was the preservation of the inscriptions by an extensive photo-documentary. Photographs of about 54.000 Jewish tombstones in Baden-Württemberg are now in possession of the Central Archives. In addition, the Central Archives stores photographs of more than 5.000 Jewish gravestones of Lower Saxony. Information on other documentation-projects of Jewish gravestone inscriptions is collected systematically.

Newsletter

 

The collection of all periodical publications by Jewish groups or organizations is a further aim of the Central Archives in Heidelberg. Written newsletters that are sent, that is, "made public" to members of a Jewish community, association, or organization are considered publications. The collections of the Central Archives consist of public newspapers and journals, newsletters of Jewish communities, programs of Jewish adult education centers, and photocopied circulars.

Special Inventories

The Central Archives systematically collects lists of sources kept in other archives, institutions, or of those in private possession that are of relevance to the history of the Jews in Germany. As a rule, existent special inventories are copied and given access to in Heidelberg.

Library

The library of the Central Archives is a reference library. In order to acquire the fonds and collections of the Central Archives, the library not only offers general reference books but also publications on the Jewish history in postwar Germany and Jewish regional history.”