German Broadcasting Archive, Broadcasting archive in Potsdam and Frankfurt, Germany.

The German Broadcasting Archive is a foundation with two locations in Potsdam and Frankfurt that holds radio recordings, television broadcasts, and related documents from German media history. The collections cover decades of material and are cataloged in an electronic database that researchers can search.

The foundation was set up in 1952 under the name German Sound Archive and has grown over time into a central keeper of broadcast materials from different periods of German history. It holds recordings going back to the Weimar Republic era.

The archive holds recordings that document social changes, political events, and media development throughout Germany's broadcasting timeline from the Weimar Republic onward.

Access to the collections requires booking an appointment in advance, as the archive does not operate as a walk-in facility. Knowing what you are looking for before you arrive will help you make the most of your research time.

The archive acts as a coordinating point for researchers looking for materials held across public broadcasting archives in different German federal states. This means a single inquiry can lead to sources spread across the country, which is rarely the case with other archives.

• Location: Potsdam
• Location: Frankfurt
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
• Industry: promotion of art and culture
• Phone: [phone]
• Email: [e-mail]
• Website: https://dra.de
• GPS coordinates: 52.38967,13.11981
• Latest update: March 3, 2026 10:10