Archives of Contemporary History
Archives of Contemporary History at ETH Zurich
Archival core processes: securing, developing, preserving, and mediating historical cultural assets
Detonation cloud of an atomic test on the Marshall Islands, 1952 (AfZ, NL Werner Rings / 196)
Threaded studs at Landis & Gyr, 1963 (AfZ / IB LG-Audiovisuals / FA.13415)
"The milk of the pious way of thinking", 1969 (AfZ, NL Hans U Steger / 768)
Extent
- 675 personal papers, institutional archives and collections (3,897 metres in total) (AfZ Online Archives)
- 56,600 photos, images, graphics (digitally accessible in the reading room)
- 26,000 books
Holdings
- Economics: e.g. archives Economiesuisse, Swissmem, Swisstextiles, Landis&Gyr
- Jewish history: e.g. archives Swiss Refugee Council, Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities, Association of Swiss Jewish Refugee Aid and Welfare Organisations, Israelitische Cultusgemeinde Zürich
- Politics: e.g. personal papers of Werner Rings, Alfred A. Häsler, Gustav Däniker, Carlo Jagmetti
Relevance of research and Public
Complementary to state archives, the Archive of Contemporary History safeguards privately owned files of national importance, and renders them accessible for teaching and research. In doing so, it collaborates with the Universities of Zurich and Basel, and organises regular events at ETH Zurich.
There are close international cooperative projects with the US Holocaust Memorial Museum (digitization) and the Shanghai Municipal Archives (documents by photo journalist Walter Bosshard on modern China).
Current activities, projects
- Digitization of the holdings in collaboration with ETH-Bibliothek's DigiCenter
- Online access to the digital copies (Jewish periodicals, Image Archive etc.) in the virtual reading room AfZ Online Archives
- Safeguarding sources for development collaboration and humanitarian aid (ETH Zurich's pioneering role)
Use of the archive / online presence
- AfZ Online Archives – All information for web-based searches of the holdings in the virtual reading room.
- external pageAfZ Quickaccess – Browse through selected image holdings
- external pageArchives Online – Comprehensive searches in Swiss archives