Introduction
Archives and records, use of archived information, administrative charges and list of public archives
Archives and records
Historical records and documents are such records that were selected for permanent preservation owing to the time of their origin, contents, provenance and external traits, and were accepted for archive registration. They are deposited in public and private archives that were accredited by the Ministry of the Interior.
The archives take all-around care of historical records and documents and of their safe storage; they process them professionally and make them accessible.
Use of archived information
On request the archives present processed archive material to researchers for study in their own research facilities, after a filled-in researcher's card is submitted.
Archivists retrieve historical records and documents according to the request of their creators, and other archived material needed for the solution of tasks in public and other institutions. In this way they participate in the exercise of state administration and in the scientific/research activities of cultural/scientific institutions.
On request the archivists produce, for a charge, literature searches of archived material for researchers, public institutions and qualified legal entities; they provide abstracts, duplicates and copies of archived material. Archives perform scientific and research activities in the sphere of archives, ancillary historical sciences and related science disciplines.
Who and under which conditions
Documents and records older than thirty years are accessible for examination in the archives, unless the release of their data is protected by special legal regulations. For study even archive material arisen before January 1, 1990 is presented, arisen by the activities of former secret police, social organizations and political parties integrated in the National Front, and such archive material that was accessible to the public before inclusion in the archive registration.
As regards potential objections of an applicant who was refused the examination of archived material, the relevant administrative authority in the area of archiving and record facilities will decide on the basis of his/her appeal. Detailed information can be obtained from the director of the relevant state regional archives or from the National Archives.
Prior to the study the researcher shall fill in a researcher's card and prove his/her identity by an ID card, passport or another document to the person charged with supervision in the research facility of an archives.
How and where to apply
Due to the fact that the links between the stored archive material and the network of archives, based on their territorial or factual competence, are not always obvious to the applicants, the applicants are recommended to ask the archive, before submitting the application, whether a possibility exists that the required archive material already is within the processed archive files. It is also advisable to inquire about possible study visit or to submit an application for retrieval and presentation of the archive material.
Administrative charges
Historical records and documents are presented to researchers for examination without charge; administrative services are subject to charges under the Act on Administrative Charges. Public archives provide services for charge according to the Pricelist of Services, which forms schedule No. 4 to Regulation No. 645/2004 Coll.
Public archives
- National Archives;
- Státní oblastní archiv (State Regional Archives) in Praha, Třeboň, Plzeň, Litoměřice, Zámrsk, Moravský zemský archiv (Moravian Provincial Archives) in Brno, Zemský archiv (Provincial Archives) in Opava.
- Státní okresní archivy (State District Archives) are internal organizational units of Státní oblastní archivy (State Regional Archives).
- Specialized archives: Archiv Kanceláře prezidenta republiky (President's Office Archives), Archiv Pražského hradu (Prague Castle Archives), Archiv Poslanecké sněmovny (Parliament's Archives), Archiv Senátu (Senate's Archives), Archiv Ministerstva zahraničních věcí (Foreign Office Archives), Vojenský historický archiv (Armed Forces History Archives), Archiv Českého rozhlasu (Czech Radio Archives), Archiv České televize (Czech TV Archives), Archiv Akademie věd ČR (Archives of the Czech Academy of Sciences), Archiv Univerzity Karlovy (Charles University Archives), Archiv Masarykovy univerzity (Masaryk University Archives) in Brno, Archiv ČVUT (Czech Technical University Archives) in Praha, Archiv Národního muzea (National Museum Archives), Literární archiv Památníku národního písemnictví (Archives of the Museum of National Literature), Archiv Národní galerie (Archives of the National Gallery), Archiv Národní knihovny (Archives of the National Library), Archiv Národního technického muzea (Archives of the National Technical Museum), Národní filmový archiv (National Film Archives), Ústřední archiv zeměměřictví a katastru (Central Archives of Surveying and Land Register), Archiv Ministerstva vnitra (Archives of the Interior Ministry), Archiv DIAMO (DIAMO Archives), Archiv České národní banky (Archives of the Czech National Bank), Archiv Univerzity Hradec Králové (Archives of Hradec Králové University).
- The following archives count among the private ones: Všeodborový archiv (Trade Union Archives), Archiv Židovského musea (Jewish Museum Archives), Archiv České strany sociálně demokratické (Archives of the Czech Social Democratic Party).
This list is not closed definitively; other archives will be added that will be granted accreditation by the Ministry of the Interior.