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45-512: The state archives host the administrative records of the Canton of Zürich, as it was established in 1803 in its current form. It also preserves the administrative records of the predecessor of the Canton of Zürich, so the records of the Helvetic Kanton Zürich , and in particular of the old city-state Zürich until 1798. In addition to being the "official memory of the administration", it is

90-451: A building specifically constructed for their needs. An extension was obtained in March 2006, the subsequent conversion of the archive building was completed in mid-2007. The building comprises six floors, of which four are located underground, to ensure safe storage, stable climatic conditions, contemporary protection from fire and water damage, and the maximum protection for the archives. Because

135-520: A cease-fire, the terms of which included the rebel cantons merging into a single one, thus limiting their effectiveness in the central government. However, the French failed to keep their promises in respecting religious matters and before the year was out there was another uprising in Nidwalden which the authorities crushed, with towns and villages burnt down by French troops. No general agreement existed about

180-512: A central archive, among them of Fraumünster , Grossmünster and the former city council, and further non-official archives, but also of the Grand Council (now Kantonsrat ), and the Government and cantonal Supreme Court, as well as the documents of the former Kappel and Rüti monasteries and the cantonal Reformed churches. Since 1837, therefore all cantonal, including all municipalities of

225-530: A minority at the conciliation conference, known as the "Helvetic Consulta", Bonaparte characterised Switzerland as federal "by nature" and considered it unwise to force the country into any other constitutional framework. On 19 February 1803, the Act of Mediation abolished the Helvetic Republic and restored the cantons. With the abolition of the centralized state, Switzerland became a confederation once again, called

270-559: A motor vehicle registered by F. Vogel in Küsnacht in 1905, or the patent for the nuclear reactor of the Sulzer Winterthur industries from 1957. The digitized patent specifications, which in most cases also include a drawing, are available online. The seal stamp of the city seal of 1347, which shows the three saints Felix, Regula and Exuperantius, is the oldest example of the collection Objekte . It also includes younger state objects such as

315-586: A new working state. In 1799, Switzerland became a virtual battle-zone between the French, Austrian, and Imperial Russian armies, with the locals supporting mainly the latter two, rejecting calls to fight with the French armies in the name of the Helvetic Republic. Instability in the Republic reached its peak in 1802–1803; it included the Bourla-papey uprising and the Stecklikrieg civil war of 1802. By then,

360-498: A public reference library with the focus on "History of the Canton of Zurich" and "archival science". It supervises and also advises the municipalities of the canton in matters of archiving. Staatsarchiv preserves mostly unique and large parts of medieval handwritten documents, but some documents related to the city of Zürich are still housed at the Haus zum Rechberg at Neumarkt, Zürich . The archival holdings date back to 853 AD, as Zürich

405-472: A specific canton. The Helvetic Republic reduced the formerly sovereign cantons to mere administrative division, though keeping the denomination of cantons, while also raising to such status unrepresented territories previously ruled as subjects of the Confederation. In order to weaken the old power -structures, it defined new boundaries for some cantons. The Act of 1798 and subsequent developments resulted in

450-572: A versatile documentation and facility for scientific research and for the public. The 4 February 1837 marked the beginning of a new era in Zürich's archives, when Hans Jakob Ammann was elected by the cantonal authorities as the director of the Staatsarchiv . He succeeded the previous "registrar" historian Gerold Meyer von Knonau , who was later given the title Staatsarchivar (literally: state archivist), as he first started to merge various special archives to

495-439: Is seen as a time of national weakness and loss of independence. For cantons such as Vaud, Thurgau and Ticino , the three who in 1898 celebrated the centenary of their independence, the Republic was a time of political freedom and liberation from the rule of other cantons. However, the period was also marked by foreign domination and instability, and for the cantons of Bern, Schwyz and Nidwalden it signified military defeat. In 1995,

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540-555: The Federal Assembly chose not to celebrate the 200 year anniversary of the Helvetic Republic but to allow individual cantons to celebrate if they wished. The Federal Councilors took part in official events in Aargau in January 1998. The Helvetic period represents a key step toward the modern federal state . For the first time, the population was defined as Swiss, not as inhabitants of

585-615: The Fraumünster abbey at the site of the present town house, from 1876 to 1919 in an annex of the governmental Obmannamt building (the former Barfüsser abbey, as of today the cantonal courthouse), and from 1919 to 1982 in the choir of the Predigern abbey , as of today the university's library. Since 1982 the archives are concentrated at the Irchelpark campus of the University of Zürich , in

630-510: The Swiss Confederation . Before the advent of the Helvetic Republic, each individual canton had exercised complete sovereignty over its own territory or territories. Little central authority had existed, with matters concerning the country as a whole confined mainly to meetings of leading representatives from the cantons: the Diets . The constitution of the Helvetic Republic came mainly from

675-474: The canton of Säntis . Due to the instability of the situation, the Helvetic Republic had over 6 constitutions in a period of four years. The Helvetic Republic did highlight the desirability of a central authority to handle matters for the country as a whole (as opposed to the individual cantons which handled matters at the local level). In the post-Napoleonic era, the differences between the cantons (varying currencies and systems of weights and measurements) and

720-441: The "new citizens", who were generally poor. The compromise solution, which was written into the municipal laws of the Helvetic Republic, is still valid today. Two politically separate but often geographically similar organizations were created. The first, the so-called municipality, was a political community formed by-election and its voting body consists of all resident citizens. However, the community land and property remained with

765-541: The French General Balthasar Alexis Henri Antoine of Schauenburg marched out of occupied Zürich to attack Zug , Lucerne and the Sattel pass . Even though Reding's army won victories at Rothenthurm and Morgarten , Schauenburg's victory near Sattel allowed him to threaten the town of Schwyz . On 4 May 1798, the town council of Schwyz surrendered. On 13 May, Reding and Schauenburg agreed to

810-717: The Helvetic Republic represents an early attempt to establish a centralized government in the country. During the French Revolutionary Wars of the 1790s, the French Republican armies expanded eastward. In 1793, the National Convention had imposed friendship with the United States and the Swiss Confederation as the sole limit while delegating its powers in foreign policy to the Committee of Public Safety , but

855-725: The Helvetic citizens. The Republic's name Helvetic , after the Helvetii , the Gaulish inhabitants of the Swiss Plateau in antiquity, was not an innovation; rather, the Swiss Confederacy had occasionally been dubbed Republica Helvetiorum in humanist Latin since the 17th century, and Helvetia , the Swiss national personification , made her first appearance in 1672. In Swiss history ,

900-527: The Republic was 12 million francs in debt, having started with a treasury of 6 million francs. This, together with local resistance, caused the Helvetic Republic to collapse , and its government took refuge in Lausanne . At that time, Napoleon Bonaparte , then First Consul of France, summoned representatives of both sides to Paris in order to negotiate a solution. Although the Federalist representatives formed

945-467: The Swiss people failed to respond to the calls of their politicians to take up arms. On 5 March 1798, French troops completely overran Switzerland and the Old Swiss Confederation collapsed. On 12 April 1798, 121 cantonal deputies proclaimed the Helvetic Republic, "One and Indivisible". On 14 April 1798, a cantonal assembly was called in the canton of Zürich , but most of the politicians from

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990-437: The Zürich standard weight, a dog measuring device from 1909, or the ballot box of the cantonal council of 1831, which was used to vote on petitions for pardon. The Plansammlung collection of plans consists of around 25,000 documents dating back to the 17th century, and this valuable collection of plans can also be viewed online. As a public institution, the state archives are part of the cantonal administration and associated to

1035-565: The administrative records of the ancient city-state of Zurich since the European Middle Ages. The archives are supplemented by documents stocks of private origin, among them companies, associations, guilds, families and individuals. The retention of these documents allows to make the state action understandable, enables historical research and the use of cultural interests in the broadest sense, accessible for all interested parties in accordance with legal provisions. In addition, it operates as

1080-414: The canton of Zürich oriented activities have to be recorded and stored by the Staatsarchiv . Staatsarchiv is the archive of the public institutions of the Canton of Zurich, so the cantonal parliament, the government, the cantonal central and district administration and the courts and institutions. It stores, opens and permanently preserves the lore worthy documents. As a historical archive, it also keeps

1125-619: The cantonal Department of Justice and Interior ( Direktion der Justiz und des Innern ). The archives houses also a scientific library, a library housing all magazines published in the canton of Zürich, reading rooms, and an administrative service to handle also the public access by all interested people. In addition to the archive materials, a digital library is provided, as well a collection of maps and many more 'worthy' content. The archives are structured into five sections, including The staff comprises around 75 employees including historians and restorers. Other responsibilities include assisting in

1170-412: The capacities are expected to be exhausted again in 2019, a further extension was approved by the parliament of the Canton of Zürich in March 2016; 25 million Swiss Francs for the construction of Bau 3 (stage 3). The present capacity of 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) running archive room will be expanded by a subterranean construction comprising a capacity of further 2,000 metres (6,562 ft). Adjacent to

1215-602: The design of Peter Ochs , a magistrate from Basel . It established a central two-chamber legislature which included the Grand Council (with 8 members per canton) and the Senate (4 members per canton). The executive , known as the Directory , comprised 5 members. The Constitution also established actual Swiss citizenship , as opposed to just citizenship of one's canton of birth. Under the Old Swiss Confederacy , citizenship

1260-483: The following cantons: As well as the Old Swiss Confederacy , the following territories became part of the Helvetic Republic: There were four associated states : There were 21 condominiums : There were five protectorates : The Helvetic Republic also annexed two territories not previously part of Switzerland: Sulzer (manufacturer) Too Many Requests If you report this error to

1305-540: The former local citizens who were gathered together into the Bürgergemeinde . After an uprising led by Alois von Reding in 1798, some cantons were merged, thus reducing their anti-centralist effectiveness in the legislature. Uri , Schwyz , Zug and Unterwalden together became the canton of Waldstätten ; Glarus and the Sarganserland became the canton of Linth , and Appenzell and St. Gallen combined as

1350-509: The future of the Swiss. Leading groups split into the Unitaires , who wanted a united republic, and the Federalists , who represented the old aristocracy and demanded a return to cantonal sovereignty. Coup attempts became frequent and the new régime had to rely on the French to survive. Furthermore, the occupying forces insisted that the accommodation and feeding of the soldiers be paid for by

1395-521: The genealogy, the edition of primary sources, the inventory of monuments, the creation of archival aids for authorities and communities, and the maintenance of various collections, among them maps, charts and pamphlets. As of March 2018, Beat Gnädinger is the director of the Staatsarchiv Zürich. Until 1982, the state archives were housed in buildings that had been intended as a temporary, or at least not built for archive purposes: From 1837 to 1876 at

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1440-540: The late 15th century. The newer stocks of the Canton of Zurich (since 1798/1803 and since 1831) started quantitatively to be the main focus of the tradition in the archives. Every year, the archives records approximately 800 metres (2,625 ft) linear meters of new content in paper. The increased volume origins by the cantonal authorities, as cantonal council, councillor including central and district administration, notaries, cantonal institutions, and courts. In addition, there are also more and more private documents related to

1485-582: The local populace, which drained the economy. The treaty of alliance of 19 August with France, which also reaffirmed the French annexation of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel and imposed French rights over the Upper Rhine and the Simplon Pass for evident strategic reasons towards Germany and Italy, also broke the tradition of neutrality established by the Confederation. All this made it difficult to establish

1530-418: The modern history of the Canton of Zurich, so company archives, individual documents, and heritage documents in the widest sense. Currently, more than 30 kilometres (19 mi) of paper files are stored, and terabytes of electronic files, but just partially accessible to the public. As of 3 October 2017, all documents of the former city republic of Zürich back to 1803 have been digitalized and are accessible to

1575-559: The more devout citizens. In response, the Cantons of Uri , Schwyz and Nidwalden raised an army of about 10,000 men led by Alois von Reding to fight the French. This army was deployed along the defensive line from Napf to Rapperswil . Reding besieged French-controlled Lucerne and marched across the Brünig pass into the Berner Oberland to support the armies of Bern. At the same time,

1620-521: The old Prince-Bishopric of Basel . The Swiss Confederacy, which until then had consisted of self-governing cantons united by a loose military alliance (and ruling over subject territories such as Vaud ), was invaded by the French Revolutionary Army and turned into an ally known as the "Helvetic Republic". The interference with localism and traditional liberties was deeply resented, although some modernizing reforms took place. Resistance

1665-568: The perceived need for better co-ordination between them came to a head and culminated in the Swiss Federal Constitution of 1848 . The Republic's 5-member Directory resembles the 7-member Swiss Federal Council , Switzerland's present-day executive. The Helvetic Republic is still very controversial within Switzerland. Carl Hilty described the period as the first democratic experience in Swiss territory, while within conservatism it

1710-558: The present building (stage 2), a cafeteria and conference rooms will be built, including a solar power plant. Staatsarchiv Zürich is listed in the Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance as a Class A object of national importance. Helvetic Republic The Helvetic Republic ( République helvétique   ( French ) , Helvetische Republik   ( German ) , Repubblica Elvetica   ( Italian ) , Republica helvetica   ( Romansh ) )

1755-486: The previous assembly were re-elected. The new régime abolished cantonal sovereignty and feudal rights. The occupying forces established a centralised state based on the ideas of the French Revolution . Many Swiss citizens resisted these " progressive " ideas, particularly in the central areas of the country. Some of the more controversial aspects of the new regime limited freedom of worship , which outraged many of

1800-585: The public. Between 1888 and 1978, more than 50,000 inventive and innovative Zürich citizens applied for more than 50,000 patents at the Swiss Federal Patent Office, united in the collection Patentschriften . Among them a bathing suit invented by Hermann Brupbacher in 1894, described as a "bathing suit for people who are unfamiliar with swimming...in which floating bodies made of rubber tubes filled with crushed cork pieces are sewn in". There are not only curiosities to be found, there are also patents for

1845-499: The situation changed when the more conservative Directoire took power in 1795 and Napoleon conquered Northern Italy in 1796. The French Republican armies enveloped Switzerland on the grounds of "liberating" the Swiss people, whose own system of government was deemed feudal , especially for annexed territories such as Vaud . Some Swiss nationals, including Frédéric-César de La Harpe , had called for French intervention on these grounds. The invasion proceeded largely peacefully since

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1890-478: Was a sister republic of France that existed between 1798 and 1803, during the French Revolutionary Wars . It was created following the French invasion and the consequent dissolution of the Old Swiss Confederacy , marking the end of the ancien régime in Switzerland . Throughout its existence, the republic incorporated most of the territory of modern Switzerland, excluding the cantons of Geneva and Neuchâtel and

1935-543: Was granted by each town and village only to residents. These citizens enjoyed access to community property and in some cases additional protection under the law. Additionally, the urban towns and the rural villages had differing rights and laws. The creation of a uniform Swiss citizenship, which applied equally for citizens of the old towns and their tenants and servants, led to conflict. The wealthier villagers and urban citizens held rights to forests, common land and other municipal property which they did not want to share with

1980-435: Was strongest in the more traditional Catholic cantons, with armed uprisings breaking out in spring 1798 in the central part of Switzerland . The French and Helvetic armies suppressed the uprisings, but opposition to the new government gradually increased over the years, as the Swiss resented their loss of local democracy, the new taxes, the centralization and the hostility to religion. Nonetheless, there were long-term effects to

2025-468: Was the imperial Pfalz Turicum , thenafter an imperial city, and a federal center of the Reformation in Zürich . This history has been reflected in the holdings of the archive. Noteworthy is the continuity of the Zürich archives, that owes to the absence of large disasters and wars. For example, the government protocols, which can be described as the backbone of history, are nearly completely preserved since

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