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Össterreichisches Staatsarchiv

Page history last edited by Paul Keenan 14 years ago

Date of tip: September 2006

Source: Erin Hochman; erin.hochman@utoronto.ca 

 

Location: Österreichisches Staatsarchiv, Nottendorfergasse 2, 1030 Wien (address for the Generaldirektion, Allgemeineses Verwaltungsarchiv, Archiv der Republik, Finanzarchiv, Kriegsarchiv, and Bibliothek).  Please note that the other archives within the Österreichisches Staatsarchiv are located elsewhere.

How to get there: The archive is located directly across from the station Erdberg, which is on the U3.

 

Language: German.  I have also heard some of the archivists speaking English.  

 

Getting started: On your first visit to the archive, you will need to bring your passport and fill out a form for each archive you would like to use (i.e., one for the AdR, one for the AVA, etc.).  You will then need to buy a user card, which you must wear at all times while in the archive.  A weekly card costs 7; a monthly card is €15 and a yearly card is €30.  Also be sure to bring a €2 coin in order to get a locker for your bag, coat, etc.

 

Opening Hours: Monday and Thursday 9:00-17:00; Tuesday and Wednesday 9:00-16:00; Friday 9:00-13:00

 

General working conditions: While Vienna is known for its palaces and historic, stately buildings, the Staatsarchiv at Nottendorfergasse is an unattractive postwar building.  The reading room is long and narrow and a bit on the dingy side.  There are no computers and no internet access.

 

Consultation: It is recommended that you e-mail your particular archive in advance with your research topic.  One of the archivists will respond with some initial suggestions on relevant record groups or suggest that you get in contact with her/him upon your arrival.  Since there are not finding aides for all of the record groups (this has been my experience in working on the First Republic), you will need to consult with an archivist in order to figure out how to locate pertinent files (in my case, it has required the ordering of yearly indices for various government offices in order to look up the Signatur for each individual document).

You are technically limited to 3 cartons, 10 individual documents or 5 volumes (i.e., protocol or indices) per day; however, this does not have to be strictly adhered to.  For instance, if you have documents in both the Allgemeines Verwaltungsarchiv and the Archiv der Republik, you get your own Fach (cubby hole) for each, and can therefore order up to the limit for both.  Furthermore, you can usually slightly exceed the imposed limit within a particular archive if you are ordering from different record groups.  The earliest you will receive your documents after placing an order is the next day.  Be aware that it can take longer than a day to get documents if the archivist in charge of your ordered documents is not working that day or is too busy.  As far as I can tell, there is no limit on how long you can keep cartons, documents, etc.

 

Policy on technology: You are allowed to bring your own computer.  Digital cameras and scanners are not allowed. 

 

Photocopy policy: For most documents dated after 1900 (excluding maps, photographs, etc.), you can use the two coin-operated copiers located in the reading room.  The copies cost 20 cents per A4-sized page and 30 cents per A5-sized page.  Make sure you bring the correct amount of change for each of your trips to the copier, as you cannot get change back.  The copies from these machines are of good quality since it scans the document and then prints it out.  For all other documents, you will need to place an order for copies (I think the prices are listed on the archive’s website).

Particularities: There is a break room which has a coffee vending machine, a snacks vending machine and a soda vending machine.  If you don’t want to bring your own lunch, there is a kebab stand across the street by the subway station entrance.

  

How to apply for classified files:

  

Contact name in case of questions regarding classified files:

Etc: Depending on your topic and time period, you may find it tricky to locate relevant material (this has been my experience working on the First Republic).  While I have found the archivists extremely helpful, the way in which many of the record groups from the First Republic are organized is complicated.  For instance, some of the government offices are located in the Archiv der Republik, while others are still included in the Allgemeines Verwaltungsarchiv.  Also, the document listings for government offices that have yearly indices (which may be written in Deutsche Schrift) do not necessarily correspond to the way the documents were filed by that office.  Hence, some of my documents have not been filed individually according to the yearly indices, but have been enclosed within other documents from other years.  So unless you happen to order the document which is on top, you may never see the ones enclosed inside.  I have therefore found it useful to begin ordering from the last year my project covers because I sometimes find documents relating to earlier years inside.  Also, I was recently informed by an archivist that in the postwar period, the archive threw away approximately a quarter of the material (at least from the First Republic), so that could be another reason why certain documents cannot be found.

 

Places to Stay: If you are staying for a month or more, you may find it worthwhile to find a room in a WG.  Here are some websites which may be of use:  http://wohnen.career.at/wg-zimmer-wien.php; www.wg-gesucht.de.

 

Forms: n/a

 

Funding: I’m not aware of any.

 

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