The National Archives
(Riksarkivet) is one of the oldest public agencies in Sweden, its history leading back to the Middle Ages. In the 17th century, Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna created a new organization for the record-keeping and the National Archives came into being. Today, the National Archives has the supervision of all public records of the agencies of the central Government, while it delegates to the regional archives the supervision of records generated by regional and local authorities. We receive and preserve records from public administration as well as from private corporations and individuals, and make them available for research.
The Military Archives and SVAR (Svensk Arkivinformation) are parts of the National Archives.
The Military Archives (Krigsarkivet) was founded in 1805 and has been responsible for inspection and control of military records since 1943. The Military Archives keeps military records from the 16th century and onwards.
The Research Center SVAR (Svensk Arkivinformation) at Ramsele specializes in family chronicles and courses in genealogy. It provides research facilities in a Visitors´ Center. It also produces and distributes microcards and provides scanned and digitalized records for customers. SVAR also distributes books and other publications via the Internet.
MKC (Mediakonverteringscentrum - Media Conversion Center) in Fränsta, produce about 100 000 digital images per day. The scanning facility is considered to be outstanding in Europe regarding capacity for scanning of historical documents.
The regional state archives (Landsarkiven) were founded in the beginning of the 20th century, and are located in Uppsala, Vadstena, Visby, Lund, Göteborg, Härnösand and Östersund. The city archives in Stockholm keeps the records of Stockholm County, and the archives in Karlstad preserves the records of the county of Värmland.
The aim of the Archives´ Day-project (Arkivens Dag) is to make non-users visit archival institutions and to increase their knowledge of the function and content of these institutions. The Archives´ Day project is a joint venture with all sectors of Swedish archival institutions participating.
The National Archival Database (NAD) is a nation-wide, comprehensive database and information system available on the Internet. It contains information about records from individuals, estates, organizations, businesses and authorities.
In the registers of the Papal Penitentiary, documents involving around 550 Swedes have been identified. The book "Auctoritate Papae, The Church Province of Uppsala and the Apostolic Penitentiary 1410-1526" brings forward this new source material, reveals details on daily life and shows the influence of Canon Law on medieval society.
