The Stadtarchiv München

The Stadtarchiv München (Munich City Archive), one of the largest municipal archives in Germany, is now a department of the Board of Directors and is thus part of the remit of the Lord Mayor of the City of Munich.

The History of the Munich City Archive

In the past, the city council kept all documents relevant to Munich in the town hall. In 1777, an "archivist of the city of Munich", who was a member of the Inner Council, was appointed. In 1841, a trained archivist, Karl August Muffat, was hired for the first time.

The town archive, which had been organised as a separate municipal office since 1893, was housed until 1945 in the so-called Small Town Hall on St. Peter's Square as well as in a functional building (architect: Hans Grässel) built from 1890/92 adjacent to the tower of the Old Town Hall on Marienplatz. In 1926, a part of the archival holdings was moved to the former municipal archive at Winzererstraße 68. When the archive building at Marienplatz was destroyed during the Second World War - the holdings had been removed in time - the entire city archive found its new home at the same address. In 1989, the archive received a modern storage building at Schleißheimer Straße 105 (architect: Hans-Busso von Busse).

The Holdings of the City Archive

The main holdings of the Stadtarchiv München are the official books and files of the municipal offices. The Munich City Archive’s special focus is on the collections: the city chronicle of some 700 volumes, the photo collection (photos from around 1850 to the present day) and the collection of contemporary history (leaflets, programmes, brochures, etc. from the middle of the nineteenth century to the present day). In addition, there is an extensive collection of private estates as well as those from societies, associations and civil initiatives. The poster collection, film collection, sound collection, graphics collection and an important Judaica collection round off the wide range of collections.

Tasks of the City Archive

The Stadtarchiv München takes over documents (files, official books and other documents, maps, plans, visual and audio material, other types of data storage) designated "worthy of archive" by the city registries for permanent storage and acquires historically important documents from private ownership. This material is processed for both the municipal administration and the general public by means of the archival acquisition.

The Stadtarchiv München is the central office for all issues concerning Munich's city history. It supports and advises the municipal offices and departments in the implementation of the classification plan and the efficient management of registries.

In addition to official use, the archive serves scientific, local history and genealogical research as well as journalistic, educational and legal purposes. With its own publications and exhibitions as well as seminar events and lectures, the City Archive itself carries out important educational education and mediation work.

• The objects of the "Stadtarchiv München" available in bavarikon

Deposita in the Stadtarchiv München on bavarikon

• The paintings collection of the Historischer Verein von Oberbayern
• The Kunstverein München’s books of minutes

Exhibitions with the participation of the Stadtarchiv München on bavarikon

• King Ludwig II of Bavaria – Life, Legacy, Legend
  
• Oktoberfest – History, Background, Highlights
  
• Revolution and Soviet Republics in Bavaria 1918/19