Brno City Archives

The Brno City Archives (Czech: Archiv města Brna, AMB) is the municipal archive of the City of Brno in the Czech Republic. It operates as a department of the Brno City Municipality and has been an accredited archive under Czech archival law since 2006. Its main facility is located in the Brno-Černovice district, in a former electrical transformer station built in 1912–1913, with a reading room and part of its depository at the New City Hall in central Brno, and an additional depository in Kuřim housed in a former manor granary. The archive oversees the city's records management (pre-archival care) and provides long-term preservation of retired documents produced by the city and city-established organizations. As of 2023, it managed 1,605 archival fonds comprising 10,737 linear meters of archival materials and 691,856 MB of digital data. The archive publishes works on Brno's history, including the journal Brno v minulosti a dnes (Brno in the Past and Today), published since 1959 with interruptions and annually since 2000, as well as scholarly monographs. Its origins trace back to the 14th century, with a scientific institution established in 1929. The archive is headed by director Libor Blažek (appointed 2013). It serves historians, genealogists, and the public, and maintains an active online presence with news and reading room updates.

The origins of the Brno City Archives can be traced back to the 14th century. In 1835, Polykarp Koller was entrusted with the administration of the city archive, which he led until his retirement in 1869. After a period of inactivity, Bertold Bretholz took over its administration from 1895. In 1918, Bohumil Navrátil assumed its management. The archive was established as a scientific institution in 1929, when Jaroslav Dřímal was appointed city archivist. After a hiatus during 1939–1945, when the archive was under German administration, Dřímal again led it after World War II until his retirement in 1975. He was succeeded by František Zřídkaveselý, who was replaced in 1994 by František Novák. In 2013, Libor Blažek was appointed head of the Brno City Archives. Originally, the city archive was housed in the Old City Hall; in 1895 it was moved to the old Provincial House (later the New City Hall). Since 2002, it has been located in Černovice in the building of a former transformer station from 1912–1913, which served until 1959 to supply the city with electricity from the Oslavany power plant. Afterwards, only a small part of the building was used for energy purposes, while most of the building housed warehouses of the Domácí potřeby Brno company. In 1993, the building was assigned by the city council to the administration of the archive, which could only use a small part for storage due to its unsatisfactory condition. A complete reconstruction of the building took place in 2001–2002, and in 2005 a depository was built in close proximity to the former transformer station. The archive has been an accredited archive under Czech archival law since 2006. As of 2023, it managed 1,605 archival fonds comprising 10,737 linear meters of archival materials and 691,856 MB of data. The archive publishes the journal Brno v minulosti a dnes (since 1959 with interruptions, annually since 2000) and scholarly monographs.

• 2023

  Archive manages 1,605 archival fonds, 10,737 linear meters, and 691,856 MB of data.

• 2013

  Libor Blažek appointed head of the Brno City Archives.

• 2006

  Archive becomes accredited under Czech archival law.

• 2005

  New depository built near the former transformer station.

• 2002

  Archive moves to reconstructed building in Černovice.

• 2001

  Complete reconstruction of the Černovice building begins (until 2002).

• 2000

  Journal Brno v minulosti a dnes becomes annual publication.

• 1994

  František Novák becomes director.

• 1993

  Building in Černovice assigned to archive administration.

• 1975

  Jaroslav Dřímal retires; František Zřídkaveselý becomes director.

• 1959

  Journal Brno v minulosti a dnes first published (with interruptions).

• 1939

  Archive under German administration until 1945.

• 1929

  Archive established as a scientific institution; Jaroslav Dřímal appointed city archivist.

• 1918

  Bohumil Navrátil assumes management of the archive.

• 1895

  Bertold Bretholz takes over administration; archive moved to the old Provincial House (later New City Hall).

• 1835

  Polykarp Koller entrusted with administration of the city archive.

Municipal archival institution preserving Brno's documentary heritage and providing public access to historical records.

• Brno v minulosti a dnes

  Published since 1959 with interruptions, annually since 2000.

• Scholarly monographs on Brno history

  The archive publishes monographs related to the history of Brno.

1. 1Archiv města Brnoarchiv.brno.cz
2. 2Brno City Archiveswikidata.org
3. 3Archiv města Brnacs.wikipedia.org