Rahvusarchiiv

As of spring 2016, the Estonian State Archives and the Estonian History Archives are known simply as the National Archives of Estonia. Established in 1921 with the aim of preserving documents from active institutions of the young republic, the State Archives functioned during Soviet and German occupations. After the Second World War it was named Eesti NSV Oktoobrirevolutsiooni ja Sotsialistliku Ülesehituse Riiklik Keskarhiiv (ORKA) (Central State Archives of the October Revolution and Socialist Construction of Soviet Estonia) under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Independent management of the archive was restored in the beginning of 1990s; a former archive of the Estonian Communist Party became affiliated with the Central State Archive during this time. The National Archives of Estonia became active as an umbrella organization on 1 January 1999.  

It is possible to order both paper and digital copies of the records you are interested in. For information on how to do this and the applicable fees, see: http://www.ra.ee/vau/index.php/en/page/article/index?menuId=23#article90  

The collections of the National Archives include: - 8,8 million records (the oldest from 1240) - currently about 17 million digital images on the web (ca 2,2% of the collections, ca 200,000 records) - 9,5 million metres of film recordings (the oldest from 1908) - more than half a million of photos (older ones from the 19th century) - almost 100,000 maps (the oldest from the first half of the 17th century, undated) - 2,200 seals - approximately 1,500 parchments The repositories are located in principally in Tallinn, but collections may have also been moved to the new main building Noora in Tartu, which was officially opened in 2017. - 24 Madara Street reading room: This location holds documents of the major state and military institutions from before 1940 (including the Office of the President, State Chancellery, Foreign Ministry; the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Justice, Economy and Agriculture; the Departments of Cadastre of the Bureau of Statistics; county land boards; the Board of Settlement, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the General Staff, etc.). Other records pertain to the activities (through 1940) of court and police institutions, banks, embassies and consulates, and municipal governments up to 1944 (except those of Tallinn and Harju County, which are in the Tallinn Municipal Archives). There are also personal fonds of public figures and eminent cultural figures who were active prior to World War II (K. Päts, J. Tõnisson, J. Laidoner, et al), as well as documents of planning and design offices. The collection’s most valuable and voluminous holdings are the plans and blueprints of real estate (land and buildings), and those of posters and memoirs. - 4 Maneeži Street: Documents from this location can be used in the Madara Street reading room. This location holds documents of ministries and central institutions from during the Soviet period, as well as the records of universities and institutes, central hospitals, theatres and numerous other institutions and organizations of Tallinn. Personal fonds include those of public figures and eminent cultural figures from the post-World War II period. The last three years have seen addition of a new set of documents: personal records obtained from institutions and organizations that were privatized or abolished. - 16 Tõnismägi Street: Documents from this location can be used in the Madara Street reading room. This location holds the records of the Estonian Communist Party, Estonian Young Communist League, as well as other parties, unions and movements and those of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic and the State Security Committee from 1940-1991. There are also personal fonds (from Jaan Anvelt, Johannes Lauristin, Artur Vader, et al) and collections (records of revolutionary movement from the period 1903-1966, etc.).  

The National Archives contain collections from Estonian public and private persons, primarily: - government institutions and organizations operated by government institutions - local governments - government officials and other employees