Berlin-Brandenburg Economic Archive

The Berlin-Brandenburgisches Wirtschaftsarchiv e. V. (BBWA), known in English as the Berlin-Brandenburg Economic Archive, is a publicly accessible archive dedicated to the economic history of the Berlin-Brandenburg region. It collects, preserves, and makes available documents, photographs, maps, plans, and films from private-sector companies, business associations, and economic institutions, as well as the personal papers of economic figures. The archive fills a gap in the region's archival landscape by taking responsibility for private-sector records that public archives are not mandated to preserve. It is a non-profit organization recognized by the Berlin Senate as a cultural institution and is supported financially by Berlin and Brandenburg companies, the Berlin Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Berlin), the Berlin Chamber of Skilled Crafts, and the Association of Berlin Merchants and Industrialists (VBKI). The BBWA is located in Berlin-Reinickendorf, between the Landesarchiv Berlin and the Bundeswehr's Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt), in buildings of the former Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken AG (DWM). Its holdings comprise approximately 1,900 linear meters of files, including records from various chambers, corporate archives of Berlin companies, and the Berlin Stock Exchange. Notable collections include the Flick Research Archive, Berliner Stadtgüter, BASF Schwarzheide, Berliner Börse AG (from 1952), and Bankhaus Kroch. The archive also maintains a library with holdings such as those of the Weltwirtschaftliche Gesellschaft e.V. and complete reports of the Verein zur Beförderung des Gewerbfleißes in Preußen. In 2018/19, it took over and digitized the photo documentation of the Holzmann Group, making over 60,000 files with more than 250,000 photos available online and in the Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek. The BBWA offers online research and, since July 2012, has operated a blog called "Archivspiegel," making it the first business archive in Germany with its own weblog. It also engages in public outreach through publications, guided tours, and volunteer projects.

The idea of establishing a business archive in Berlin dates back to the early 20th century, but concrete efforts only gained momentum in the early 2000s. In 2004, the Förderverein Berlin-Brandenburgisches Wirtschaftsarchiv (support association) was founded on the initiative of historians and archivists, with significant support from the Landesarchiv Berlin. This association later transformed into the sponsoring association (Trägerverein). In 2009, the association opened the Wirtschaftsarchiv at its current location in Berlin-Reinickendorf, situated between the Landesarchiv Berlin and the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) of the Bundeswehr, in buildings of the former Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken AG (DWM). Since then, the BBWA has grown its holdings to approximately 1,900 linear meters of files, including records from various chambers, corporate archives of Berlin companies, and the Berlin Stock Exchange. It has also acquired significant collections such as the Flick Research Archive, Berliner Stadtgüter, BASF Schwarzheide, Berliner Börse AG (from 1952), and Bankhaus Kroch. In 2018/19, the archive took over and digitized the photo documentation of the Holzmann Group, making over 60,000 files with more than 250,000 photos available online and in the Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek. Since July 2012, the BBWA has operated a blog called "Archivspiegel," making it the first business archive in Germany with its own weblog. The archive continues to collaborate closely with the Landesarchiv Berlin and the Fachhochschule Potsdam, and engages in public outreach through publications, guided tours, and volunteer projects.

• 2019

  Completed transcription of the Lina Richter papers as part of volunteer projects.

• 2018

  Took over and digitized the photo documentation of the Holzmann Group, making over 60,000 files with more than 250,000 photos available online.

• 2012

  Launched the 'Archivspiegel' blog, becoming the first business archive in Germany with its own weblog.

• 2009

  Wirtschaftsarchiv opened at its current location in Berlin-Reinickendorf.

• 2004

  Förderverein Berlin-Brandenburgisches Wirtschaftsarchiv founded on the initiative of historians and archivists, with support from Landesarchiv Berlin.

A non-profit regional business archive serving as the 'memory' of Berlin-Brandenburg's economic history, filling the gap left by public archives for private-sector records.

• Archival holdings

  Approximately 1,900 linear meters of files, including records from chambers, corporate archives, and the Berlin Stock Exchange.

• Flick Research Archive

  A research archive that emerged from a research project at Friedrich Schiller University Jena.

• Holzmann Group photo documentation

  Over 60,000 files with more than 250,000 photos, digitized and available online and in the Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek.

• Library

  Contains holdings of the Weltwirtschaftliche Gesellschaft e.V. and complete reports of the Verein zur Beförderung des Gewerbfleißes in Preußen.

1. 1Berlin-Brandenburgisches Wirtschaftsarchiv – Homebb-wa.de
2. 2Berlin-Brandenburgisches Wirtschaftsarchiv – Ehrenamtbb-wa.de
3. 3Berlin-Brandenburgisches Wirtschaftsarchiv – Kolumnen zur Berliner Wirtschaftsgeschichtebb-wa.de
4. 4Berlin-Brandenburgisches Wirtschaftsarchiv – Die Wirtschaftsgeschichte der Bezirkebb-wa.de
5. 5Berlin-Brandenburgisches Wirtschaftsarchiv – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
6. 6Berlin-Brandenburg Economic Archive – Wikidatawikidata.org