Bereichsnavigation
The Coordination Office for the Preservation of Written Cultural Heritage (KEK)
The substance of written cultural heritage is often endangered. The Koordinierungsstelle promotes their preservation and networks archives, libraries and museums nationwide.
A restoration project funded by the Koordinierungsstelle: The address book of the artist Hannah Höch in the Berlinische Galerie © Berlinische Galerie, Landesmuseum für Moderne Kunst, Fotografie und Architektur, Hannah-Höch-Archiv / Kai-Annett Becker
The Coordination Office for the Preservation of Written Cultural Heritage (KEK) promotes, coordinates and optimises the preservation of original written documents throughout Germany. At the same time, it connects archives, libraries and museums nationwide and provides them with advice. As an organisation operating across federal states and sectors, it has established a unique network of experts.
Many historical documents, such as books, deeds and files, are at risk of physical deterioration. Objects made of paper or parchment become brittle over time and, in the worst case, could be lost forever. Through its work, the KEK therefore makes a significant contribution to safeguarding cultural memory.
The Coordination Office is funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and the federal states through the Cultural Foundation of the German States. It was established at the Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz in August 2011. Through its funding programme “Preserving Written Cultural Heritage”, the KEK supports measures to preserve original materials, ranging from preventive conservation and emergency preparedness to damage repair. An advisory board of experts from the fields of archives, libraries, and conservation and restoration supports its work.
The theoretical and strategic basis for its work is the “National Recommendations for Action” (2015), the first comprehensive inventory of written cultural heritage in Germany. These recommendations provide a detailed assessment of damage and risks and outline a comprehensive strategy for safeguarding originals.
The establishment of the Coordination Office stems from an initiative by German libraries and archives, which launched the “Alliance for the Preservation of Written Cultural Heritage” in 2001. The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation was represented in this by the Berlin State Library. With its 2009 memorandum “PRESERVING THE FUTURE”, the Alliance provided the key impetus for the creation of a national coordination office for the preservation of written cultural heritage.