University Archives

The Osnabrück University Archive permanently stores historically and legally significant documents from all bodies, committees and institutions of the university and its direct predecessor institution, the University of Education Osnabrück (Adolf Reichwein University) and the University of Education Lower Saxony, Osnabrück Department. It archives the legacies and estates of important personalities from the university environment and preserves documents from student self-government (Student Government, student councils). The archive also preserves printed materials such as (annotated) course catalogs, annual reports, the official gazette and the university newspapers.

With the help of the archives of the University Archive, answers to a wide variety of questions can be found: The spectrum ranges from academic research on the historical development of the university and its institutions to use for administrative purposes. Archival records can be used as a basis for preparing a commemorative publication, an exhibition or for writing a term paper or thesis. It is also possible for university staff to use the holdings for official purposes in the performance of their duties.

• Are you looking for a certificate for your studies? Then please contact the  Admissions Office.
• Do you need old examination or study regulations from the university? In many cases you will find what you are looking for in the  official gazettes of Osnabrück University, which can be found completely digitally.

The University Archive is not an independent institution: the archive documents are stored in the  Lower Saxony State Archive, Osnabrück Department. The archive records can be used in the reading room of the Lower Saxony State Archives, Osnabrück Department.

The University Archive is open to everyone - whether you are a student, researcher, employee or alumni or have a legitimate interest in accessing it. Use is governed by the  regulations of the Lower Saxony State Archives. Please note that some archive records may be subject to a protection period and therefore cannot yet be viewed or can only be viewed under certain conditions.

Archive research usually begins with three questions: What am I looking for? What information do I already have? Where can I find more information? The more specific your topic is and the more information you can provide us with, the more effectively we can support you in your research. As a rule, it makes sense to start by looking for references in the literature that has already been published.

If you would like individual advice on site, we recommend that you make an appointment in advance. Inquiries regarding the use of the archive and the holdings of the University Archive should preferably be sent to us by e-mail.

You can use  Arcinsys, the archive information system of the Lower Saxony State Archives, to search the freely accessible archival records of the University Archives, which are no longer subject to a protection period. If you would like to use files on site in the reading room of the Lower Saxony State Archives, Osnabrück Department, or mark them with the help of the reserve function, you need to register in Arcinsys and submit a request for use. You can search via the archive's tree structure (tectonics) or with the help of the keyword search. If you know the shelfmark, you can also search for specific archive items.

• The university's central collection is stored under the collection number  Dep 103.
• The archives of the University's Student Government can be found under  Dep 106.
• Large-format documents such as maps and plans can also be found in the  poster collection and the  map holdings of the Nds. state archive
• Research literature can be found in the  library of the Lower Saxony State Archives, Osnabrück Department
• Documents on the history of the University of Applied Sciences can be found in  Dep 123 and  Dep 126 (Student Government of the university). As both universities cooperate with each other and maintain joint facilities, there are also references to the university here.
• Documents on the history of the Osnabrück Student Services, which plays a central role in providing for students, can be found in  Dep 149.
• As many questions relating to the history of Osnabrück University can also affect the city, district and state institutions, it is always advisable to search the entire  holdings of the Nds. state archives, Osnabrück department.

The Osnabrück University Archive collects and preserves historically and legally significant documents from Osnabrück University. It evaluates, takes over, indexes and preserves the documents from all organs, committees and institutions of the university and its direct predecessor institution, the Osnabrück University of Education. To supplement the official holdings, it endeavors to obtain the bequests and estates of important personalities from the university environment. It also documents student life and student self-administration.

Of particular interest are, among others:

• Documents from the time of the Osnabrück University of Education (Adolf Reichwein University) and the Lower Saxony University of Education - Osnabrück Department

• General administrative documents (correspondence, business transactions, official notifications, statistics, reference files, deeds and contracts, statutes, regulations, rules, etc.)

• Documents from committee work (minutes of the Presidium, Senate, etc.)

• Documents on planning and strategy

• Documents on university members (matriculation records, appointment files, etc.)

• Documents on budgeting and foundations

• Communication and image (press, public relations, marketing, events)

• Documents on regional, national and international contacts

• Documents on university buildings (construction files, plans, etc.)

• Documents on honors and their revocation

• Documents on research (activity reports, outstanding research projects, etc.)

• Documents on teaching (course catalogs, etc.)

• Documents on examinations, academic degrees and titles

• Documents on student self-administration

• Documents on alumni organizations

Yes, files that have been transferred to the University Archives are permanently and securely archived in the stacks of the Osnabrück Department of the Lower Saxony State Archives. The files can be found quickly thanks to the indexing in our archive information system (Arcinsys).

The submitting office can view the files during opening hours in the reading room of the Lower Saxony State Archives, Osnabrück Department. Files can also be made available again to the donating office as part of a loan.

Since not all aspects of university life can be documented by the administrative files, the University Archives also endeavors to obtain bequests and estates as well as collections of various kinds. In such cases, there is no legal deadline for submission. Documents are usually transferred to the University Archives as part of a donation.

Of particular interest are, among others

• Documents from the time of the Osnabrück University of Education (Adolf Reichwein University) or the Lower Saxony University of Education - Osnabrück Department

• Pre- and posthumous estates of important personalities of the university, who were particularly prominent in research and teaching and/or held important offices at the university and/or had an impact on the city and district through their commitment

• Student records (from the organization of studies, lecture notes to records documenting student life)

• Photo collections documenting buildings, people and events from the university's history

• Flyers, posters, etc.

The  blog of the Historischer Verein Osnabrück (Association for the History and Regional Studies of Osnabrück) deals with the history of Osnabrück and the neighboring regions. It offers a forum for cultural and scientific institutions from the city and region, for research by young academics and for interested citizens, e.g. in the form of contemporary witness reports. The  history of Osnabrück University is also blogged here.

Osnabrück University began teaching in 1974. However, only the "older semesters" know that teachers were also trained here before that. There are few reminders of the former Adolf Reichwein University, which was moved from Celle to Osnabrück in 1953 and merged into the Osnabrück Department of the Lower Saxony University of Education at the end of the 1960s. In our  blog on the history of Adolf Reichwein University, we collect historical information and eyewitness reports on the predecessor institution of today's university. Participation is welcome!

Interesting and curious facts from the university's history as well as information about the archive work can be found on the joint  Facebook page of the University and University Archive.

The University Archive offers teaching and training events (historical auxiliary sciences, records management) as well as guided tours of the Lower Saxony State Archive, Osnabrück Department, at irregular intervals. The events are listed in the course catalog of Osnabrück University.

Individual archive tours can also be offered as part of a course or for a group (up to a maximum of 25 people). The tours usually last 60-90 minutes. In addition to an introduction to the tasks of the University Archives and the Lower Saxony State Archives, Osnabrück Department, you will be given an insight into the premises (administration and usage area, storage area). If required, selected archival documents from the holdings of the State Archives can also be shown to match the topic of the course.

The university archive contains sources on all aspects of university history. The sources can be used as a basis for student seminar papers and theses. Due to archival regulations, access to more recent documents is only possible with restrictions, whereas files from the 1970s and 1980s are already readily usable. If you are interested in working on a university history topic, please do not hesitate to contact us! Topics may include (the list will be added to)

• History of the Pädagogische Hochschule / Adolf-Reichwein-Hochschule Celle/Osnabrück (1945-1973)

• Foundation and development of Osnabrück University in the 1970s

• "Promoted" PH professors vs. newly appointed professors in the course of the foundation of Osnabrück University

• Development of individual schools / institutes

• The structural development of Osnabrück University

• Career bans for students / lecturers at Osnabrück University in the 1970s

• The Universities for Disarmament Committee at Osnabrück University (1980s)

• The relationship between Osnabrück University and the Vechta Department of Osnabrück University / Separation of the Vechta Department from Osnabrück University

• From "Magnificence" to "Dear Mr. President" - self-image of university management and professors at Osnabrück University

As part of a voluntary or compulsory internship at the Nds. Landesarchiv, Osnabrück Department, students also have the opportunity to work on tasks at the University Archives. Please send your internship request with a tabular CV and a short letter of motivation to  Osnabrueck@nla.niedersachsen.de.