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Photographic memory and precious cultural heritage
The bpk-Bildarchiv (bpk photo archive)
On the organisational level, the bpk-Bildagentur, which was founded in 1966 as Bildarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz, is part of the Staatsbibliothek. It is a central image service provider acting on behalf of all institutions of the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz. It represents the institutions regarding image usage rights for commercial purposes. In addition, the agency has to ensure the long-term preservation of the image archive as a historical testimony and cultural heritage, and also make content accessible and a selection digitally available.
The bpk-Bildarchiv with a collection of 12 million analogue images is one of the most comprehensive and most important contemporary photo archives in Europe. The focus of the collection is on nationally important press and documentary photography from 1900 to 1990 with the topics: history and politics, economy and technology, cultural history, history of everyday life, portraits, topography as well as the history of the city of Berlin.
A significant part of the collection is made up of the photographic estates of prominent press photographers of the 20th century. These photographic estates present the history of Germany from all possible aspects, for example, in the photos taken by Willy Römer, Friedrich Seidenstücker, Benno Wundshammer, Hanns Hubmann, Digne Meller Marcovicz, Abisag Tüllmann, Herbert Hensky, and Gerhard Kiesling.
In the media station you will find out what the bpk-Bildarchiv does, who they partner with, what they have to offer and you can take a look at their collection.
