German Games Archive Nuremberg

Exterior view of the Pellerhaus , the seat of the German Games Archive in Nuremberg since 2011

The German Games Archive Nuremberg is an institution of the Nuremberg City Museums . The collection includes around 30,000 parlor games, the focus of the collection activity is on the board and table games in the German-speaking area after 1945. The archive also sees itself as a scientific research institute that documents and evaluates the development of board and table games in the entire German-speaking area since 1945 , and as a promoter of the game as a cultural asset in society.

history

One of the archive rooms of the German Games Archive in Nuremberg

The German Games Archive was founded on June 25, 1985 by Bernward Thole , a collector and games critic in Marburg . On the basis of his private collection of 5000 games, the collection and archiving work of board, table and similar games began after 1945. The institutional framework was initially provided by the German Games Archive Association. V. and the Spiel des Jahres e. V. As an innovative institution, the archive was included in the Germany - Land of Ideas initiative in 2006 .

The premises in the upper town of Marburg housed one of the largest archive collections of contemporary board, card and computer games as well as an extensive specialist library . There were over 30,000 games on more than a kilometer of shelves. In addition, all users were the catalog collection of games publishers as well as the collections of material review archive , publishing archive , author archive , archive of events and real archive available.

Until 2007 the archive functioned as the office of the Spiel des Jahres e. V. When this collaboration ended, it became clear that the archive could not be kept private in the long term. The city of Nuremberg expressed an interest in taking over the archive because of the city's connection to the games industry. On May 15, 2009, the Cultural Council commissioned the Nuremberg City Museums to purchase and maintain the German Games Archive in Marburg. The move was finally realized in April 2010 after Spielwarenmesse eG, the Sparkasse Nürnberg's future foundation and the Spiel des Jahres e. V. could be won as sponsors.

The archive holdings were initially stored in a museum depot, until suitable rooms were finally found in the Nuremberg Pellerhaus , the building of the former city library. In 2011 the archive moved into library and office space, and in 2013 the archive holdings from the museum depot also moved to the new location. In addition to the administration, library and archive rooms, the archive can use the 200 m² former reading room of the city library as a games room for events.

Collection and library

The Alexander-Randolph-Schaudepot on the 3rd floor of the Pellerhaus

The collection includes around 30,000 table and board games. It almost completely documents the games that have appeared since the late 1940s. Every year around 700 new publications are added to the databases, of which around 300 to 400 find their way into the fund.

All games are arranged according to a specially developed, thematic classification that can be found in the database and on the shelves. The focus of the collection is on board and table games. Furthermore, card games, playing cards, dice and other random generators as well as large games are collected and documented. The games archive also stores the bequests of well-known game designers such as Alexander Randolph and Peter Pallat . Alexander Randolph's estate with numerous game prototypes is exhibited in a display depot and can be viewed on request.

An information pool is attached to the Nuremberg Games Archive , which consists of a specialist library of around 7,000 volumes, several specialist journals, a catalog collection and archives of notes on publishers, authors, reviews, events and key words on the subject of games. The most important information medium of the archive is the extensive database in which all games of the last decades are listed and classified. With targeted search parameters, thematic game lists can be created, individual games can be easily identified and found on the shelf.

Tasks and perspective

Some pieces from the collection of the German Games Archive in Nuremberg in the foyer of the Pellerhaus

The German Games Archive Nuremberg is an important institution of the game movement of the 1970s. The surprising boom in parlor games of this time not only boosted game production, but also ensured profound differentiation.

The game archive has the archival core tasks of collecting, organizing and preserving. In addition, it is developing into a national contact point for all questions on the topic of games and offers numerous services for the specialist audience, the media and the interested public. A special offer of the archive is the author depot: game authors can leave their game ideas locked in order to have security in the event of any legal disputes.

With an abundance of game activities, events and educational offers, the archive is intended to develop broad publicity in the future and ultimately develop from an archive into an active games center. Regularly in the Pellerhaus in cooperation with the Ali Baba Spieleclub e. V. Games afternoons offered. With annual game events such as Fresh on the Table in July and Stadt-Land-Spielt in September, the archive specifically promotes parlor games as a cultural asset and addresses a wide variety of target groups.

For kindergartens, school classes and after-school care centers, the German Games Archive will in future be offering various educational activities and workshops as an extracurricular learning location.

The premises of the archive, the archive holdings and the Alexander-Randolph-Schaudepot are accessible as part of a guided tour by appointment. The extensive specialist library can be used by interested visitors by arrangement.

In the foyer of the Pellerhaus, the archive presents its work and special pieces from its collection in a small public exhibition.

Web links

Commons : Deutsches Spielearchiv Nürnberg - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Official website of the Deutsches Spielearchiv Nürnberg

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