Ralf Müller: Our archive preserves the history of the University of Potsdam!

Ralf Müller: Our archive preserves the history of the University of Potsdam!

The University Archives of the University of Potsdam plays a central role in preserving and documenting the history of the university and its students. Under the direction of Ralf Müller, who has been directing the archive's fortunes since 1991, numerous historical documents are stored in addition to audit and personnel files. Müller, who at 64 has extensive knowledge of German-German history, played an important role in securing documents, especially during the reunification period. In contrast to many other archives, however, there are no documents from the Ministry for State Security (MfS) in the Potsdam University Archives; these are subject to the Stasi Records Act.

The archive documents the written history of the university and serves as a memory for over 150,000 student files that have been stored since 1948. This includes certificates and certificates that can be requested by former students. Theses from the last five years must be submitted digitally since 2022 and most of the documents are individual items without a digital copy. Müller and his colleague Robert Frohlich have also digitized works of art and preserved historical documents in the past.

Legal mandate and archiving conditions

Archivists in Germany have a legal mandate to collect and preserve documents, which requires comprehensive and structured storage. For the archive rooms, specific conditions such as temperatures between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius and humidity between 30 and 50 percent are crucial in order to protect the documents. Every year, the archive receives inquiries from former students who are not only looking for their own data, but also for fellow students.

The importance of archive work became particularly evident during the fall of the Berlin Wall. Many documents were quickly secured when the Academy of Political Sciences and Law was liquidated. Müller plans to retire in 2026, but the archive will continue its important function. Access to documents is regulated: students have the right to view their own files; third parties require the consent of those affected.

Coming to terms with the Stasi past

Coming to terms with the Stasi past is an essential topic that is also important beyond the borders of Potsdam. Some of the Stasi files were destroyed after reunification, which made research considerably more difficult. How bpb.de reported, there was a lack of finding aids and the files deserve attention not only as documents of repression, but also as evidence of everyday history in the GDR.

The demand for access to Stasi files was already loud in January 1992, and civil rights activists like Vera Lengsfeld demanded that the files belong to those being persecuted. This debate was characterized by reservations and resistance, both in the GDR and from the federal government. Ultimately, the social need to come to terms with the matter led to the creation of the Stasi Documents Act, which regulates access to these sensitive documents.

In the years after the fall of communism, the issue continued to be discussed at a political level. Personalities such as Joachim Gauck and Marianne Birthler made significant contributions to the debate about the Stasi investigation and access to the files. A competition for the authority to interpret the past became visible, which continues to have an impact today and shows how important the examination of history is for the democratic development of Germany.