United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), UN Geneva
The UN Library & Archives Geneva manages some 15 linear kilometres of archives and records. More than 12 million documents (mostly from the League of Nations) have been digitised and are available online.
Archival Fonds and Collections held by the UN Library & Archives Geneva include those from UN Geneva and many UN Geneva-based organisations (among others, UNECE, UNCTAD, or OCHA). The UN Archives Geneva also holds the archives of the League of Nations (entirely digitised and available online), international peace movements, and private papers.
The archives of the League of Nations and the archives documenting the drafting of the International Bill of Human Rights (1946–1966) held by the UN Library and Archives Geneva are inscribed into UNESCO’s Memory of the World International Register.
Catalogue of the United Nations Geneva Archives
Access policy: Most UN unclassified and confidential archives are accessible to the public 20 years after the closure of the files. Archives classified as strictly confidential are only accessible through written authorisation from the office of record.
Consultation: digitised archives can be consulted via the online catalogue. For consulting archival material in site, by appointment only.
The vast majority of the UN Geneva archives are not available online and have not been described. Access to available finding aids and to the archives is done in person at the UN Archives Geneva Reading Room.
League of Nations Archives (digitised)
United Nations Office in Geneva:
UNOG archives (non-Registry archives), 1946-present: 1,236.20 linear meters of textual records, photographs, audio and video records (partly digitised)
UNOG Registry First Period, 1946-1973 (partly digitised)
UNOG Registry Second Period, 1973-2018 (not digitised)
International Bureau for Declarations of Death (IBD), 1951-1974: The archival fonds includes 106 Binders and 56 Boxes with records of the International Bureau of Death (not digitised)
International Peace Movements (1870 -) (partly digitised)
The International Peace Bureau archives (1891-1951) can be divided into two parts: the papers covering the pre-war period until 1914, and the second part containing all the assembled records covering the period 1914-1951.
The Fried/Suttner Papers archives (1870-1914) contain correspondence, literary manuscripts, diaries, press clippings, and other materials of the two Austrian pacifists: Alfred Herrmann Fried (1864-1921) and Bertha von Suttner (1843-1914). The archives of Bertha von Suttner are available online.
The Deutsches Friedenskartell (Quidde Collection) archives (1919-1928) contain correspondence and printed material concerning the activities of the Deutsches Friedenskartell, which was founded in 1922 and served as a liaison between several German pacifist organisations until 1929, when its activities seem to have ceased.
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Papers (WILPF) papers (1915-1978) were assembled at the international headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, of the WILPF. It is the only archival collection for the international office of WILPF.
Private Papers, 1884-1986 (partly digitised)
The UN Digital Library provides access to UN documents (minutes, resolutions, reports, voting data, and publications) of the UN Security Council, the General Assembly, the ECOSOC, and the Trusteeship Council since 1945.
The Journal of the United Nations lists daily official, informal, and forthcoming meetings, as well as lists of documents, signatures and ratifications, press conferences, and general information.
UN Multimedia provides access to official Video and Photo collections.
The historic archive of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law
The United Nations Treaty Collection (UNTC) is a global portal providing online access to comprehensive information relating to the work of the Treaty Section.
You can search the UN Geneva artwork collection.
Chat with an archivist or submit queries via “Ask an Archivist”
UN Archives Geneva Guides: guides specific to different archive collections.
IHEID library guide to UN documents. How to locate the main documents produced by the United Nations
Guide to League of Nations Publications: a Bibliographical Survey of the Work of the League, 1920-1947 by Hans Aufricht by Aufricht, Hans 1902-1973. IHEID Library Call Number: 341.121(035) HEIA 21812+1 (bureau)