Guide
Here you can find the user guidelines for this website.
Please note that this website is continually updated. Details and information regarding available film material and entries are regularly revised, corrections are made if necessary. To facilitate your search for materials it is our utmost concern to provide you with detailed information as quick as possible. We do our best to enable you to view the film works for your research and order the film material and/or individual images.
Our website offers World War I Era (1914-1918) films from the German Federal Archives Collection. Some of these are:
- Official footage
- War newsreels
- War bond propaganda films
The web portal also presents films from the Weimar Republic era (1919-1933). These works focus on:
- Weekly newsreels (e.g. Messter-Woche, UFA-Wochenschau, Deulig-Woche and Emelka-Woche)
- Official productions (commissions)
In addition our website offers access to Federal German newsreels and works that had been commissioned by the Federal Press Office between 1945-1999. Among them are:
- Newsreels (Welt im Bild, Welt im Film, Neue Deutsche Wochenschau, Die Zeit unter der Lupe, UFA-Wochenschau, El Mundo)
- Deutschlandspiegel and other Federal Press Office magazines and documentaries.
The description of our film collections provides you with an overview of the footage that is
available on this website.
Films and newsreels from the years 1933 - April 1945 from the Federal Archives’ stock are currently not available
on this website. These materials will become available online as soon as the digitization and processing are complete.
This includes:
- Sound film weekly newsreels (e.g. UFA-Ton-Woche, Deutsche Wochenschau, Deulig-Ton-Woche)
- Documentary films
filmbenutzung[at]bundesarchiv.de
For matters relating to the licensing of the clips please contact Transit Film:
footage[at]transitfilm.de
Terms that are considered racist and discriminating today have been removed from the texts as much as possible. Unfortunately, it is not possible to erase this kind of offensive terminology from voiceovers. Hence we ask you to please excuse the outmoded terminology. Speech that was common back then seems offending from today’s point of view, but in the end it must be accepted as an unfortunate historical fact. The German Federal Archives and Transit Film GmbH hereby formally distance themselves.
Anyone can research and view the streaming files, without having to register first.Transit Film is the contact for clients from the film and television industries, the press, PR and entertainment. The German Federal Archives are in charge of non-profit scientific, private and official uses as well as historical-political educational work.
If you have questions or would like to place an order please use the appropriate contact form to get in touch with either Transit Film or the German Federal Archives.
HomepageOn our homepage you will find a Showreel and the category “Current Events in the Rear-View-Mirror”. In this category we have editorially paired historical events in current topic suggestions with matching film works from the German Federal Archives collection.
SearchIn addition to the prompt search access on our homepage we offer several search options, which you may use separately or combined for your research:
- A “simple search” as full text search of all detailed information of a film work
- An “advanced search” option as a specific search in selected fields of the detailed information
- A filter that allows you to search by individuals, entities, locations and subject matters
- A catalogue of film works for an alphabetic search.
Begin your search with a full text search. To get more specific results go directly to “advanced search” and limit the period in which you want to search.
Narrow your results by limiting your research for films in 2K, HD or in colour.
You can also combine all search options. The more keywords are entered into the advanced search the more specific your search results will be. Use simple and descriptive keywords. For example: Kennedy or Berlin. With „+“ and „-“ you can add or exclude any number of keywords:
To add: +1963 +city hall…To exclude: -assassination…
When you go to the details of a film it is possible to jump to specific scenes or to the beginning of a specific story (play scene /play story) by clicking on the pertinent keyframe.
Specify a film clip
With the help of our editing software you have the option to specify clips or stills by using frame accuracy. Simply choose the “scissors” in the select field.
Please cut some Handles at the beginning and the end of each clip!
- In order to specify a film clip you can set an “IN” and “OUT” point over the “filmstrip”. Your excerpt will be placed in the film clip list on the right.
- With the “camera” you can place the current frame as a still in the film clip list on the right.
The maximal resolution for exported images is 72 dpi.
SD material:
720 x 576 Pixel
HD material:
1920 x 1080 Pixel
2K material:
2048 x 1556 Pixel
In order to access your film clips and/or still at a later time please put your selection into the favourites.
FavouritesYou can store the selections you made, whether they are film works, film clips and/or stills. Please create a bookmark for later session independent access to your favourites. Please be aware that the content of your favourites may not be changed once its bookmarked.
Shopping CartAdd film works, film clips and/or stills to your shopping cart before placing an order. Please create a bookmark for later session independent access to your shopping cart. Please be aware that the content of your shopping cart may not be changed once its bookmarked.
RegistrationRegistration is under construction and will be available at a later stage of our website expansion. Please contact us by using the contact form.
OrderYou can send a request for an order to Transit Film or the German Federal Archives by going into your shopping cart and filling out the contact form. Once we have processed your request we will contact you and work out the details of your order.
- Clients of Transit Film will receive an order confirmation, which they must sign and return (via E-Mail, fax or mail). We will then forward the order to our technical service partner PHAROS – The Post Group. The invoice you will receive will include the licensing fee, technical costs and shipping costs, if any. For additional information please read Transit Film General Terms and Conditions.
- German Federal Archives user are asked to fill in and sign a usage request form
and send it to the German Federal Archives by mail, fax or as an E-Mail attachment.
Link Request for use
Once the usage request has been received the German Federal Archives will be able to process the application. Subsequently it will send Transit Film an approval form to indicate that the order can be processed in whatever quantity was permitted. The user will receive a confirmation E-Mail at the provided E-Mail adress.
Per a declaration of consent Transit Film then places the order with our service partner PHAROS – The Post Group. Incidental expenses such as technical costs and shipping fees will be invoiced by Transit Film. For additional information please read the German Federal Archives Terms of Use.
PHAROS – The Post Group will deliver all orders.
We reserve the right to decline individual orders.
How to Order Preview FilesClients of Transit Film may receive preview material with the Federal Archives Logo and TC free of charge (mp4-container format). Select the clips you want and add them to the shopping cart. Select “Internet/Preview formats“ when you e-mail your request.
Cost Calculator
Our prices and fees for the use of the film material from this website is calculated as follows:
- Film and television, press, PR and entertainment projects incur licensing fees,
technical fees (copy service) and shipping costs, if any. Find more information about
the ordering process right here.
Link rate sheet licenses Transit Film (PDF)
Link rate sheet copy service (PDF)
- Non-profit scientific, private and official uses as well as historical-political
educational work only incur technical costs (copy service) and shipping costs, if any.
Link rate sheet copy service (PDF)
Until our online payment system is set up you will receive an invoice from Transit Film, providing that your order was approved. In individual cases the German Federal Archives may incur costs as well, which would generate a separate invoice.
DeliveryFootage ordered through our website will be provided and delivered by PHAROS – The Post Group.
- Download: The ordered film clips, films or stills will be transcoded into the desired format and are available via a link provided by Webgate.io. You will receive an E-Mail with the login information. The server will automatically delete your order within 48 hours. Longer server provisioning time must be arranged on a per case basis. Access data to download the preview files is available for 1 week.
- Physical data storage media: whenever physical data storage media is ordered PHAROS – The Post Group will take care of production and shipping.
You will receive a message once the material is available for you (download and physical data storage media).
Film CollectionsThe Film Collections provides an overview of the footage that is available on this website.
UseAdditional legal information can be found in Transit Film General Terms and Conditions and the German Federal Archives Terms of Use. Please see our FAQ for questions and answers regarding the use of our website and the order procedure.
About usWe are happy about your online visit and your interest in our website. If you would like to find out more about the involved partners and their competences you can find additional information right here.
