Archive Buildings in the Czech Republic After 1990: the “Czech Archival Wonder” and the Present Situation

Abstract

The paper is concentrated on the explanation of the situation in the Czech Republic, what changed fundamentally after 1990: while before that the archives were situated mostly in the unsuitables old buildings, thereafter, in the period of 10-15 years, many of them were newly adapted (and alternatively supplemented by new depositories) and above all many absolutely new archive purpose-built buildings were constructed. Above all the state archives have got so much better conditions for their activities. Probably nothing like that was be achieved in such short period in the other country. Nowadays, after almost twenty years, the new archive buildings often have to respond to new requirements, or to deal with the question of the upkeep.