Displaced, but not destroyed: archives in the Thirty Years’ War

Abstract

This paper focuses on the displacement of archives during the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648). Numerous archives were seized and transported between the German principalities and across Europe during this period. Despite the fact that this upheaval occurred during wartime, very few archives were destroyed. In fact, as this article aims to show, enemy archives were often regarded as highly valuable goods, treated with care, and used for many different purposes. Analysing contemporary transport lists and archival inventories sheds light on the various ways historical actors used seized documents and ascribed value and meaning to them. This article highlights four major uses: Firstly, deeds and records were essential to establish  the dominion and administration of newly conquered territories. Secondly, seized documents were used as sources of political information. Thirdly, they were printed in political pamphlets as evidence in battles of propaganda. And finally, looted documents were sold for their material value or collected as antiquarian and cultural goods. Examining the uses of archives displaced in war, thus, serves as a mirror of contemporary cultural practices of archives and documents in general. At the same time, the war itself and the ensuing displacement influenced archival practice and document use and perception.