A Glimpse of Sources for Historical Studies at the ETH Archive in Zürich

[摘要] The Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule2 in Zürichwas founded in 1855 as the Eidgenössische Polytechnische Schule, a name often abbreviated to EidgenössischesPolytechnikum. It was one of the first institutions created and run in Switzerland by the Eidgenossenschaft(Swiss Federation) after the political reorganisation in1848. This is important in order to understand its function and that of its archives. The polytechnic was headedby the Schweizerische Schulrat (Swiss School Board), aboard with four members plus its president, elected bythe Bundesrat in Bern. The president of the board was afull-time position with an office at the school; the othermembers met only a few times a year. There was also adirector of the polytechnic but, for a long time, he didnot have significant influence in the school.