Passport issued to Walter Benjamin, Berlin-Grunewald, 10 August 1928. Akademie der Künste, Berlin, Walter Benjamin Archiv © Hamburger Stiftung zur Förderung von Wissenschaft und Kultur, photo: Nick Ash

Finds from the Archives

Archival Materials

The essence of an archive are its things stored in boxes. Things – including notes, manuscripts, letters, documents, drafts and designs, plans, sheet music, sketches, watercolours, posters, photographs, but also personal objects, books, props and models. Archival objects are measured in linear metres. The Archives of the Akademie der Künste are currently at about the 13 kilometre marker. This sheer abundance beckons to embark on voyages of discovery. The things want to be found.

Finds” introduces select text documents, works of art and special objects from the Archives of the Akademie der Künste that attract attention, have turned up unexpectedly, are new acquisitions or are (re-)discoveries. They show us what writing is, how thought processes and failure come into play, where a spark of inspiration flashes, who might be an ally, what helps in a strange place, and how need, longing, uncertain states and the passage of time can be encountered.

Selected text documents, special objects and works of art from the Archives of the Akademie der Künste representing all artistic disciplines.

Further information

Finds from the Archives