Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv
Item
Country
AT
Name of institution (English)
Austrian State Archives
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
deu
Contact information: postal address
Minoritenplatz 1, A-1010 Wien
Contact information: phone number
0043 179540801
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
hhsta@oesta.gv.at
Reference number
AT-OeStA/HHStA
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
House, Court and State Archives
Title (official language of the state)
Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv
Language of title
deu
Creator / accumulator
Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv
Date(s)
816/1922
Language(s)
deu
Extent
c. 80,000 documents, 150,000 boxes and books, 12,000 maps and plans, 3,000 manuscripts, 36,000 "Siegelabgüsse" (seal casts) and "Siegelstempel" (seal stamps), and 40,000 "Partezettel" (Party leaflet)
Type of material
Cartographic Material
Graphic Material
Textual Material
Scope and content
This fonds comprises documentation produced by the Royal House, Court, and State archives and contains different types of documents related to specific and broad areas of responsibility of the different institutions. The fonds is divided into 10 sub-collections: 1) Reichsarchive (Imperial Archives), containing documents produced by different Imperial institutions; 2) Diplomatie und Außenpolitik vor 1848 (diplomacy and foreign policy before 1848), comprising correspondence, war and diplomatic documents; 3) Diplomatie und Außenpolitik 1848-1918 (diplomacy and foreign policy 1848-1918), containing the same type of records for the second half of the 19th century and early 20th century; 4) Habsburgisch-Lothringische Hausarchive (Habsburg-Lorraine House Archives), including family archives; 5) Kabinettsarchiv" (cabinet archive), containing records related to government institutions, such as the Staatsrat (State Council) or the Ministerkonferenzbureau (Ministerial Conference Bureau); 6) Hofarchive, Privat- und Familienfonde (court archives, private and family records), with predominantly judicial records; 7) Urkundenreihen, Siegelabguß- und Typarsammlungen (document series and seal collections), with documents related to different communities and families; 8) Handschriftensammlungen (manuscript collections), including oriental maunuscripts; 9) Länderabteilungen (country departments); 10) Sonderbestände (special collections), with family and personal papers, memorials, plans, maps collection and photographies.
The diplomatic documents comprised in this collection are particularly interesting for researching Sephardic and New Christian networks, especially in Northern and Central Europe. For instance, there can be found a letter from Emperor Carlos V (1500-1558) to his sister Queen Mary of Hungary (1505-1558), regent of the Netherlands, dating from July 1, 1546, in which the emperor informs about an agreement negotiated with João Micas (alias Joseph Nasi) at Regensburg, so that all the arrested Mendes family property and assets were released to him, upon the payment of a sum of money ("Belgien-Niederländisches Departement", published in Salomon and Leoni 1998, 193).
The diplomatic documents comprised in this collection are particularly interesting for researching Sephardic and New Christian networks, especially in Northern and Central Europe. For instance, there can be found a letter from Emperor Carlos V (1500-1558) to his sister Queen Mary of Hungary (1505-1558), regent of the Netherlands, dating from July 1, 1546, in which the emperor informs about an agreement negotiated with João Micas (alias Joseph Nasi) at Regensburg, so that all the arrested Mendes family property and assets were released to him, upon the payment of a sum of money ("Belgien-Niederländisches Departement", published in Salomon and Leoni 1998, 193).
Archival history
The Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv was founded in 1749 as the Geheimes Hausarchiv (Secret Archives of the House), conceived to be the central repository for "Haus- und Staatsurkun" (house and state documents). Until then, the documents produced by these institutions were scattered over the former rulers' residences of the Habsburg monarchy in cities such as Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck, and Prague.
The name "Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv" only became established in the 19th century. To this fonds were added the documents of the highest court offices (Obersthofmeister, Oberstkämmerer, Obersthofmarschall and Oberststallmeister) and records resulting from the activity of the Reichshofkanzlei (Imperial Court Chancellery) and the Reichshofrat (Imperial Court Council). In 1852, the archives of the archchancellor of Mainz were also incorporated.
The name "Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv" only became established in the 19th century. To this fonds were added the documents of the highest court offices (Obersthofmeister, Oberstkämmerer, Obersthofmarschall and Oberststallmeister) and records resulting from the activity of the Reichshofkanzlei (Imperial Court Chancellery) and the Reichshofrat (Imperial Court Council). In 1852, the archives of the archchancellor of Mainz were also incorporated.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv (House, Court and State Archives) were founded in 1749 by Empress Maria Theresia (1717-1780) to create a central ruling archive of the House of Habsburg.
All the substantial House of Habsburg's legal and ruling documents were brought to the new archive. At first, a few rooms on the first floor of the Reichskanzlei (Imperial Chancellery) served as archive rooms. By means of a handwritten letter, Maria Theresa appointed State Chancellor Wenzel von Kaunitz as the supreme head of the archive in 1762. After the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv took over the registries of the highest imperial authorities. Under Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830-1916), it was decided to build a new archive building in Minoritenplatz in Vienna, where the Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv is still located.
After the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, the previously emphasised secret character of the Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv was abandoned in favour of a general opening to historical researchers worldwide. In the First Republic of Austria, the archive was subordinated to the Staatsamt/Bundesministerium für Äußeres (State Office/Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs) and, in 1923, to the Federal Chancellery responsible for Foreign Affairs. In 1938, it was incorporated into the central Reichsarchiv Wien, formed from the fusion of the archives of the central authorities in Vienna. This centralised structure was transferred by the Second Republic in 1945.
Since then, the Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv has been part of the Österreichisches Staatsarchiv (Austrian State Archives), which is subordinate to the Federal Chancellery. After the foundation of the Archiv der Republik (Archive of the Republic) department in 1983, a significant reorganisation occurred within the Österreichisches Staatsarchiv. All official records of the Austrian federal administration after 1918 were moved to the new department, which also became the exclusively responsible office for current file transfers. The Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv was thus transformed into a historical archive, housing documents up to 1918.
From 2001 to 2003, the archive building was completely renovated.
All the substantial House of Habsburg's legal and ruling documents were brought to the new archive. At first, a few rooms on the first floor of the Reichskanzlei (Imperial Chancellery) served as archive rooms. By means of a handwritten letter, Maria Theresa appointed State Chancellor Wenzel von Kaunitz as the supreme head of the archive in 1762. After the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv took over the registries of the highest imperial authorities. Under Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830-1916), it was decided to build a new archive building in Minoritenplatz in Vienna, where the Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv is still located.
After the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, the previously emphasised secret character of the Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv was abandoned in favour of a general opening to historical researchers worldwide. In the First Republic of Austria, the archive was subordinated to the Staatsamt/Bundesministerium für Äußeres (State Office/Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs) and, in 1923, to the Federal Chancellery responsible for Foreign Affairs. In 1938, it was incorporated into the central Reichsarchiv Wien, formed from the fusion of the archives of the central authorities in Vienna. This centralised structure was transferred by the Second Republic in 1945.
Since then, the Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv has been part of the Österreichisches Staatsarchiv (Austrian State Archives), which is subordinate to the Federal Chancellery. After the foundation of the Archiv der Republik (Archive of the Republic) department in 1983, a significant reorganisation occurred within the Österreichisches Staatsarchiv. All official records of the Austrian federal administration after 1918 were moved to the new department, which also became the exclusively responsible office for current file transfers. The Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv was thus transformed into a historical archive, housing documents up to 1918.
From 2001 to 2003, the archive building was completely renovated.
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is organised by types of documents.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2023