Beneath unassuming walls lies a treasure trove of history: the Bistumsarchiv Essen. The Bistumsarchiv Essen is the central memory location for the history of the Ruhr Diocese and its parishes. Since 1958, it has bridged the gap to the past. It secures the tradition of the Catholic Church in our region for the future.
As part of the Episcopal Administration, the Bistumsarchiv Essen is also the contact person for the historically interested public. The Bistumsarchiv Essen makes its sources usable and accessible. It contributes to the transparency of church administrative practice.
The Bistumsarchiv Essen is located in the converted St. Christophorus Church in Essen-Kray since 2010. It forms a department within the “General Administration” department. It belongs to the main department 3 “Personnel and Administration”.
The Bistumsarchiv Essen preserves the written records of the bishop. It also keeps records of the episcopal administration and all subordinate institutions. It archives and documents the actions and activities of the Catholic Church of Essen. The Bistumsarchiv Essen secures, evaluates, develops, and preserves the spiritual and secular writings. It provides the collection material for use. The Bistumsarchiv Essen supports parishes and church institutions. It advises associations, organizations, and religious orders in the Diocese of Essen in the area of archive maintenance. It is available to answer questions about records management and the history of the diocese.
The basis for archival work is the regulation on the security and use of the archives of the Catholic Church. This is also known as the Church Archive Ordinance.
The holdings of the archive refer to diverse groups of documents. They have been combined into a unit according to logically comprehensible aspects. These include their origin, their context of origin and their factual content according to formal characteristics. These include the files of city and district administrations. They also include collections of photographs and newspaper clippings. Almost all documents in an archive are assigned to collections that structure the archive.
The holdings of the Bistumsarchiv Essen refer to diverse groups of documents. These include old holdings from the Archdiocese of Cologne. They also include holdings from the Archdiocese of Paderborn and the Diocese of Münster. Other holdings include the General Vicariate, associations, institutions, and parish archives. Estates, collections, and documents are also part of the holdings.
The Bistumsarchiv Essen’s holdings can be viewed and used by appointment. You can contact Dorothea Kreuzinger or Dr. Severin Gawlitta. The address is Grüne Aue 2, 45307 Essen. The phone number is 0201/2204-574. The Bistumsarchiv Essen safeguards legal and cultural assets of high value. It serves the needs of society for historical information. It promotes transparency of administrative action and legal certainty.
So, as you stand before the Bistumsarchiv Essen, remember that you are not just seeing a building. You are witnessing a living testament to faith, history, and the enduring power of memory.