Fonds BArch, R 1519 - Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt

Identity area

Reference code

BArch, R 1519

Title

Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt

Date(s)

  • 1869-1950 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

905 Aufbewahrungseinheiten

Context area

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt (PTR), 1887-1945

Content and structure area

Scope and content

History of the Inventory Designer: The Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt (PTR), founded in 1887 as a scientific institution subordinated to the Reich Ministry of the Interior and from 1934 subordinated to the Reich Ministry of Science, Education and People's Education, was the result of years of efforts to establish a state organisation for experimental natural research and precision engineering. The execution of extensive scientific-physical investigations as well as the simultaneous practical implementation of the results in precision mechanics and technology allowed the PTR to quickly play an important role in basic research. This scientific institution was headed by its president and a board of trustees set up for technical supervision and consultation. Presidents of the PTR: Hermann von Helmholtz 1887-1892 Friedrich Kohlrausch 1895-1905 Emil Warburg 1905-1922 Walther Nernst 1922-1924 Friedrich Paschen 1924-1933 Johannes Stark 1933-1939 Abraham Esau 1939-1945 In 1923, the Reichs-anstalt für Maß und Gewicht, which had emerged from the Normaleichungskommission in 1919, was merged with the PTR. Over the years, constantly growing or more specialised areas of responsibility have led to changes in the structure of the department. In the presidential department, laboratories, main workshop, main library and administration were directly subordinated to the president. Division II: Electricity (from 1936: for electricity and magnetism) Division III: Heat and Pressure Division IV: Optics Division V: Atomic Physics and Physical Chemistry (from 1939) Division VI: Precision Mechanics and Acoustics (from 1939) After 1945, the tasks of the PTR were transferred to the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (Braunschweig) and the Deutsche Amt für Maß und Gewicht (Berlin). Inventory description: In 1977 and 1981 files of the Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt and the Normaleichungskommission (NEK) were transferred from the Office for Standardization and Metrology of the GDR to the Zentrale Staatsarchiv Potsdam. They were combined under the designation PTR to form a stock (R 1519). The files of Divisions III to VI of the PTR as well as the organisation and business operations of NEK have been handed down incompletely. The file fragments for sound, vibration and pressure measurements in torpedo and mine development and further development of precision measuring instruments for the 1936 Olympic Games (inventory R 105), which were previously stored in the Federal Archives in Koblenz, were assigned to inventory R 1519 in Berlin in 1996. Content characterisation: An important part of the science policy of the National Socialist state is documented in the existing documents on the management, organisation, planning and reporting of the PTR. Further focal points are processes relating to research and training issues, in particular in Divisions I Measurement and Weight and II Electricity and Magnetism. Also preserved are documents on the development and testing of a target time camera that was used during the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, as well as some files on torpedo and mine development between 1940 and 1944. State of development: Findbuch, Online-Findbuch (2005) Citation method: BArch, R 1519/...

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Federal Archives (Archivtektonik) >> North German Confederation and German Reich (1867/1871-1945) >> cult, science, propaganda

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Rechteinformation beim Datenlieferanten zu klären.

Language of material

  • German

Script of material

    Language and script notes

    This description was automatically translated with the help of www.DeepL.com. Translation errors are possible. Please note that the document itself has not been translated.

    Physical characteristics and technical requirements

    Schriftgut

    Allied materials area

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

    Related units of description

    Fremde Archive: <br />
    In der Berliner Außenstelle der Physikalisch-Technischen Bundesanstalt Braunschweig sind weitere Unterlagen vorhanden.
    <br /><br />
    Verwandtes Archivgut im Bundesarchiv: <br />
    R 4901, R 73, R 43, R 1501
    <br /><br />
    Amtliche Druckschriften: <br />
    Mitteilungen der Kaiserlichen Normal-Eichungs-Kommission, 1886-1918.<br />
    Mitteilungen der Reichsanstalt für Maß und Gewicht 1919-1922.<br />
    Mitteilungen der Physikalisch-Technischen Reichsanstalt, Abteilung I für Maß und Gewicht 1923-1937.<br />
    Amtsblatt der Physikalisch-Technischen Reichsanstalt 1938-1945. Jg. 1942 und 1941.Nr.1 (RD 40/10).
    <br /><br />
    Literatur: <br />
    Rudolf Stenzel, Zusammenfassungen der Sitzungsprotokolle der Plenar- bzw. Vollver‧sammlungen der Normal-Eichungs-Kommission des Norddeutschen Bundes, der Kaiserli‧chen Normal-Eichungs-Kommission, der Reichsanstalt für Maß und Gewicht, der Physika‧lisch-Technischen Reichsanstalt (Abteilung I) und der Physikalisch-Technischen Bundesan‧stalt von 1869 bis 1970. In: PTB-Bericht IB 2/72, Berlin 1972.<br />
    Cahan, David: Meister der Messung. Die Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt im Deutschen Kaiserreich, Weinheim 1992.<br />
    Kern, Ulrich: Forschung und Präzisionsmessung. Die PTR zwischen 1918 und 1948, Weinheim 1994.<br />
    Inventar archivalischer Quellen des NS-Staates, hrsg. von Heinz Boberach, München 1991/1995, Teil 1, S. 273, Teil 2, S.196.

    Related descriptions

    Notes area

    Note

    Original description: Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Access points

    Place access points

    Name access points

    Genre access points

    Description control area

    Description identifier

    DE-1958_c25bf943-6efb-4c3c-9b8e-daa83b2009fb

    Institution identifier

    Rules and/or conventions used

    Status

    Level of detail

    Dates of creation revision deletion

    Language(s)

      Script(s)

      • Latin

      Sources

      Accession area