The SFA were founded in 1798, at the dawn of the Helvetic Republic. Most of the files and documents stem from the period following 1798.
The Swiss Federal Archives (SFA) publish historical texts and auxiliary booklets. Different documents are online available to the following subjects: Studies and sources, Federal Archives dossier, inventories, auxiliary texts and further publications.
The Swiss Federal Archives (SFA) preserve documents from the Federal Administration and the political bodies of the Federal State. The archive records for the most part consist of paper files, but there are also photos, audio and film documents as well as digital data. The SFA has also been entrusted with over 550 private archives of people and organisations with close ties to the Federal State.
Documents from the activity of the organs of the Swiss state (Federal administration, Federal Council and parliament) since the Helvetic Republic till the present. Personal papers of individuals and non-governmental institutions, that has played an essential role in the areas of politics, administration, army and science of history in the 19th and 20th century in Switzerland. Dossiers on particular subjects, events and personalities. Files of Swiss associations abroad, congresses and conferences as well as of Swiss regiments in foreign services. Important collection of copied Swiss-historical documents of foreign archives and libraries. The files in the SFA are organised into 8 main departments: -Central Archive of the Helvetic Republic 1798-1803 (Main Department B) -Archive of the Mediation Period 1803-1813 (Main Department C) -Archive of the Tagsatzung Period 1814-1848 (Main Department D) -Archive of the Federal State since 1848 (Main Department E) -Deposits and Donations (Private Archives and Bequests) (Main Department J) -Acts and Charters (Main Department K) -Collections (Main Department M) -Copies (Main Department P) The systematic fonds overview (SYFO) gives online an overview of the eight main departments and the fonds contained therein.
Opening hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 09:00 to 19:00. Staff at the SFA are on hand to support you with your research (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 9:30 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 15:00).
