City archive of the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer
The town archive is an important part of the historical memory of the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer and its districts, as numerous documents, files, photos and other documents and media from Kevelaer's history are stored here.
One of the archive's tasks is to store, organize and record documents of legal and historical importance to the town and its administration. This includes both modern administrative files of the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer as well as historical holdings of the Kervenheim office, which was dissolved in 1969, and the former partially independent municipalities of Winnekendonk, Wetten, Twisteden, Kleinkevelaer and Kervendonk. In this respect, the archive's holdings include documents, official records, municipal accounts and tax lists, some of which date back to the 17th century. In addition, there are the registry office registers from 1799 onwards, historical building files and various maps, plans and posters.
In addition to the traditional administrative files, the archive also holds documents of non-official origin that are relevant to social and economic life in the town and its districts, for example from associations, companies, political parties or from donations and bequests from private individuals. These include a complete collection of newspapers from the "Kevelaerer Blatt" (1879 to the present). In addition, an extensive photo and media library has been established, which presents not only classic photographs, slides and negatives, but also a unique collection of postcards and various videos relating to Kevelaer.
The archive makes these documents available for administrative purposes, scientific research and for the interested public.
How to reach us:
Mail: archiv@kevelaer.de Phone: 02832/122-218
Postal address: Peter-Plümpe-Platz 12, 47623 Kevelaer
Visiting address: Venloer Straße 33, 47623 Kevelaer
Individual contact persons can be found on the side. If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment, please contact us in writing or by telephone. Visits to our premises are possible by prior arrangement.
Utilization
Use of the municipal archive is generally open to all interested parties. In this regard, please register in advance or order files in advance to ensure that your request is processed quickly and the relevant files are made available. Information and assistance is provided in writing, by telephone or by prior arrangement on site. For your inquiries or to make an appointment, you can contact the city archive by e-mail at archiv@kevelaer.de or by telephone. A reference library is available with numerous publications on the history of Kevelaer and its districts, as well as on the Duchy of Geldern and the surrounding area on the Lower Rhine. As is generally the case in archives, it is not possible to borrow archive materials and books.
The corresponding data protection provisions apply to inquiries .
The use in presence is basically free of charge, but fees are charged for certain services in accordance with our administrative fee statutes .
Genealogy
Genealogy is a common interest among users of the City Archives. Our city archives maintain a collection of civil registry records dating back to 1799, which are available for public viewing in accordance with legal requirements:
- Birth records after 110 years
- Marriage records after 80 years
- Death records after 30 yearsMore recent documents can be found at the registry office. Only persons to whom the entry relates and their spouses, life partners, ancestors and descendants in a direct line may request information from the register office's books.
If you would like to view documents from our archives, you have two options. First, you can schedule an appointment and view the documents digitally at our user workstation at no cost. Alternatively, you can contact us by email or phone and let us know which documents you’d like to see or which individuals you’re searching for. We will then send them to you either digitally (uncertified) or as a certified copy. Please note that fees may apply in accordance with our Administrative Fee Regulations .
Copies of the civil registry records are stored at the State Archives of North Rhine-Westphalia and can be viewed there. Some of these records have been digitized and can be viewed on the State Archives’ website.
Kevelaerer Blatt
The city archives hold printed copies of the *Kevelaerer Blatt* (formerly *Kevelaerer Volksblatt*) for the years 1879–1891, 1893–1942, and 1949–2026. However, the issues from 1879–1942 were already digitized as part of the “zeit.Punkt NRW” project by the University and State Library of Bonn and various partner institutions, using holdings from the Kleve District Archives. These issues, along with numerous other newspapers, are available online via the NRW Newspaper Portal.
Reference Library
In our archive’s reference library, you will find numerous books, journals, and articles on the history of Kevelaer, its surrounding communities, and the Lower Rhine region. The library is open to anyone interested, by prior arrangement. You can find an overview of our library collection in our listings on the NRW Archive Portal.
Historical Research
If you are interested in topics related to local history or in local aspects of broader historical research questions, we can provide you with various files and other documents pertaining to Kevelaer. Our collections include, in particular, records from the Kevelaer municipal administration and its predecessor institutions (the Kevelaer District Office until 1969, the Kervenheim District Office until 1969, and the associated municipalities). You can find an overview of our accessible collections on the NRW Archive Portal.
Please feel free to contact us with your inquiries. Access to our materials in the reading room is generally free of charge. Alternatively, you may be able to obtain digital scans of the materials; however, fees may apply in accordance with our Administrative Fee Regulations.
Please note that, as an archive, we can retrieve documents for research purposes but cannot conduct the actual research ourselves. Research services provided by the City Archives for private purposes are subject to the Administrative Fee Regulations.
Donations
In addition to official records, our archive also holds donations and bequests from private individuals, companies, and organizations, some of which are available for public use.
If you also have historical documents related to Kevelaer and its surrounding communities that you would like to entrust to us, the City Archives, for proper storage, please feel free to contact us. We can then discuss the various options together. It is also possible, by arrangement, to provide our archive with historical documents (especially from before 1950) in digital form only. In this case, you can bring the documents to us; we will digitize them, and you will receive the original back, along with a copy of the digitized version upon request.
Please note, however, that due to space and time constraints, we cannot accept or digitize all documents, and a professional determination regarding their archival value must always be made.
Partner Institutions
In Kevelaer and the surrounding area, there are various institutions and organizations—in addition to our archive—that focus on the town’s history and make it accessible to the interested public. Here, users can often find media, records, and information that complement the holdings of the town archive in their research.
Our offers on the Internet
Photo archive
Our photo library with over 5,000 historical images.
Archive portal NRW
Our old holdings can be searched online in the NRW archive portal.
Stumbling blocks
Our project on the Kevelaer Stumbling Stones.
Reference Library
Search the collection of our reference library online here on the NRW Archive Portal.
Special aid for concentration camp prisoners
A remembrance of Kevelaerer women and men who suffered persecution by the National Socialists.
Hotel Klümpen
An essay by Matteo Derks on the history of the Hotel Klümpen on Roermonder Platz.