“Unlock the past” could be the motto of our next stop. We are standing in front of the Berlin-Lichterfelde Federal Archives. This isn’t just another archive. It’s a treasure trove of German history. The Berlin-Lichterfelde Federal Archives holds over 110 kilometers of archival material. That is from more than 2,000 holdings. Imagine 1.7 million books, newspapers, and periodicals. Add to that 337,000 films.
The Berlin-Lichterfelde Federal Archives stands on grounds with a rich history. From 1873 to 1878, it was the Prussian Main Cadet Institute. More than 1,000 cadets lived here. The first electric streetcar in Berlin connected the grounds to the new Lichterfelde-Ost station.
After World War I, the buildings became a civilian high school. Then, in 1933, the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler took over. This was not a glorious period. In 1934, SS execution squads carried out killings here during the Röhm Putsch.
Between 1937 and 1940, new buildings faced Finckensteinallee. These buildings still dominate the entrance area today. In July 1945, American soldiers occupied the site. They named it “Andrews Barracks.” The Americans built accommodations in the largely destroyed buildings. Since 1995, the Federal Archives has used these for offices and workshops. Andrews Chapel served as the library’s reading room until 2018.
The Berlin-Lichterfelde Federal Archives is the largest facility of its kind. It is a merger of many different departments. Here, you can explore records from the German Reich and the GDR. You can also find archives of parties and mass organizations of the GDR. The focus is on contemporary German history.
This is probably the most important archive in Germany. It is for studying the history of National Socialism. The majority of preserved documents are stored here. These documents are from the central civil institutions of the Reich and the NSDAP. Key papers for understanding the Holocaust are within these walls. These include records from the Reich Security Main Office. Also included are records from the Personal Staff of the Reichsfuehrer-SS. The Reich Chancellery and the Ministries of Interior, Justice, and Armament are also represented.
The Berlin-Lichterfelde Federal Archives also holds the leading party administration’s files. This includes the NSDAP membership card index. You will also find personal files from the Berlin Document Center. Other holdings include NS-archives of the State’s Security Police of the GDR. Personal papers of prominent leaders are available too. The Federal Archives runs a memorial book for Jewish victims of Nazi persecution. It also has a list of all Jewish residents in the German Reich from 1933 to 1945. The holdings are completed by personal papers and records of the GDR. These deal with the “Third Reich”.
In 2009, a new storage building was completed. In November 2021, a spacious new user area opened to the public. If you wish to delve deeper into history, the Berlin-Lichterfelde Federal Archives offers a fascinating journey. It holds a vital key to understanding Germany’s past.