New online access to the Federal Archives

Bern, 25.11.2019 - Research, digitisation, downloads and advice: online access to the Federal Archives brings all these services together on a single web portal (www.recherche.bar.admin.ch). From today, it is available to all users. In the medium term, the Federal Archives plan to make all documents available in digital form. To this end, the digitisation structure is being further expanded between now and 2021.

The new online access to the Federal Archives brings a number of services together on a single web portal: obtaining information, conducting research, viewing documents, placing digitisation orders and submitting requests to consult records. In particular, users can now order and download digital dossiers direct online.

Online access also includes a digitisation infrastructure which the Federal Archives can use to digitise analogue dossiers to order. It is operated by the Federal Archives in conjunction with the GEWA Foundation. GEWA provides jobs for people who face particular psychological challenges.

The Federal Archives are one of the first archives in the world to offer on-demand digitisation. The new infrastructure enables six times more pages a year than previously to be digitised, and the service is now free of charge. For the time being, however, order volumes per person are limited. The capacity of the digitisation infrastructure will be progressively expanded between now and 2021.

Even with online access, the reading room remains open as before, and users of the Archives can consult analogue dossiers there. In the medium term, however, the Federal Archives aim to make all dossiers available for online consultation to order.

Address for enquiries

bundesarchiv@bar.admin.ch