World Zionist Organization. Central Zionist Archives

The Central Zionist Archives was founded in 1919 in Germany. With the rise to power of the Nazis in 1933, the archivist asked for permission from the German authorities to remove the Archives from Germany. When permission was received, the material was packed in boxes and transferred to Jerusalem. The Archives was housed in the basement of the National Institutions building in Jerusalem. It was opened to the public in the autumn of 1934.