In order to receive written information please send an informal enquiry to the Federal Archives by e-mail, post or using the contact form. The topic and purpose of your research must be mentioned in this request.

Where necessary, you will - for legal reasons - be asked to complete, sign and return a formal usage application form in the further proceedings. In doing so you commit to comply with the provisions of the Federal Archives Act as well as with the usage regulations and the regulations on costs.

Research services done by Federal Archives' staff at your request are generally subject to a fee (see no. 3 of the list of fees and expenses of the Federal Archives regulation on costs).

Quite often it is only yourself who is able to determine which documents are most important for you, and this can often only be done during a personal visit to the Federal Archives. Alternatively, it is possible to commission a private research service to conduct the research. You will find information on how to prepare your research visit in one of our reading rooms on the page "Visit to the archives on site".