25 years of the Bremen University Archives: Discover the treasures of history!

25 years of the Bremen University Archives: Discover the treasures of history!

The Bremen University Archives is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Founded in 2000, it has developed into a central memory of the university, securing documents from administration, research and teaching. Today the archive contains over 55,000 archive items, of which more than 38,000 are indexed. This includes around 12,000 files, 2,670 posters, 3,720 leaflets, over 5,100 theses and around 9,500 brochures, newspapers and magazines. Sigrid Dauks, head of the university archives, emphasizes how important the traceability of administrative actions is, especially in times of digital formats.

On June 18, 2025, the University Archives invites everyone interested to an open day. This takes place from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the ground floor of GW1, Wing A. The day's program offers numerous insights: starting with a welcome from the archive management, followed by tours of the stacks, workshop and reading room. The highlight are short lectures on current projects, such as the Bremen professor catalog and the history of the university, which is told by contemporary witnesses.

Archival materials and digital developments

The university archive is well equipped with a storage capacity of around 2,200 meters of shelves, of which around 1,545 meters are currently occupied. The trend towards digital capture and the use of retro digitization are becoming increasingly important. This ensures better accessibility and long-term security of the files. The use of the archive has changed in recent years; Many users prefer to photograph or copy documents rather than taking handwritten notes.

An important project of the archive is the collection of memories of former students and employees as part of the “History of the University – Contemporary Witnesses Tell” program. To date, 65 interviews have been conducted, which not only provide historical insights, but also make the personal connection to the university visible. In addition, the professor catalog, which documents the academic CVs and periods of employment of all professors since 1971, is being further expanded and updated.

Outreach and access

Public relations plays an important role for the university archives. This is crucial in order to increase the visibility of the archive and to develop new research access for scientists, students and interested citizens. The archive is publicly accessible, although some documents can be viewed for a limited time for data protection reasons.

In order to take part in the open day, prior registration is recommended. If you have any questions, Sigrid Dauks is available by phone at +49 421 218-60 390 or by email at archiv@uni-bremen.de. The archive invites everyone interested to get to know the diverse offerings and historical treasures better and to take part in the celebration of this special anniversary. University of Bremen reports that... The University Archives have been safeguarding the university's knowledge, documents and memories for 25 years, and this is of great importance not only for the academic community, but for society as a whole.

Further information can be found at Archives in Baden-Württemberg.