"This is a further step towards digitization and proximity to the public. I am very pleased that the provision of the city archive's indexing data in the major online information systems offers a convenient research option for historians and history enthusiasts from Germany and abroad," says Dr. Hendrik Schmehl, Head of Cultural Affairs.

The Archive Portal D is the archive-specific subportal of the German Digital Library (DDB), in which more than 4,000 cultural institutions participate. Both have been online since 2014 and enable a Germany-wide search in the data records of the participating archives, libraries and museums. This saves users from having to search the individual institutions' finding aids. The Wiesbaden City Archive is now also participating in this project and has delivered the first 2,200 or so indexing data records.

"The Archivportal-D is a central online portal for archive records in Germany. It offers the public free access to information and digital objects from German archives," says City Archive Director Dr. Peter Quadflieg. "Users can use it to research holdings from federal, state, municipal and church archives and view original documents - from deeds and photos to historical files. The portal is operated by the German Digital Library and promotes the digital visibility of Germany's cultural heritage."

The DDB is funded equally by the federal and state governments and has set itself the task of providing all interested parties with easy access to cultural assets. In contrast to many commercial providers, this works without advertising and in compliance with copyright and exploitation rights. The system is organized by 18 cultural and knowledge institutions throughout Germany, including the German National Library and the Federal Archives. The office is located at the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation in Berlin.

To date, the collection of documents and archival records from the Nassau period up to 1866 can be searched. These records and other finding aids of the city archive can also be searched without registration via the archive information system Arcinsys. The indexing data is forwarded to the Archive Portal Europe via the DDB and can therefore also be found internationally.

In the future, the provision of fully digitized archival records and a presence in the Europeana virtual library are also planned. Europeana is a Europe-wide digital platform that provides access to millions of cultural and scientific objects from museums, libraries, archives and audiovisual collections throughout Europe. It brings together content from all EU member states and offers texts, images, videos and sound recordings, among other things. The aim of Europeana is to make Europe's cultural heritage accessible and usable online - for education, research, the creative industries and the general public.

Dr. Schmehl is enthusiastic about the digital possibilities: "The portals make an important contribution to the digital preservation and communication of cultural heritage in Germany and Europe."

The City Archive's presence in the various portals can be found under these links:

• DDB: https://www.deutsche-digitale-bibliothek.de/organization/Z4SWO2GZ5GWOGGD7ROYCT4IBUF7ARQ6X (opens in a new tab)
• Archive portal D: https://www.archivportal-d.de/organization/Z4SWO2GZ5GWOGGD7ROYCT4IBUF7ARQ6X (opens in a new tab)
• Archive portal Europe: http://www.archivesportaleurope.net/advanced-search/search-in-institutions/results-(institutions)/?repositoryCode=DE-Wi26&term=stadtarchiv%20wiesbaden (opens in a new tab)
• Arcinsys: https://arcinsys.hessen.de/arcinsys/detailAction.action?detailid=a259 (opens in a new tab)

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