Municipal Archives

What is it?

The municipal archives store all kinds of written documents, Maps, photographs, and newspaper clippings. In the municipal archives, you can find information about:

  • Your family's history (genealogy research)
  • a residential home or business
  • a neighborhood or district
  • building permits/signatures
  • the municipality itself

How does it work?

When archives are 20 years old, municipalities must transfer them to an archive repository. This is regulated by the Archives Act. For the municipality of Aalten, this is the Achterhoek and Liemers Heritage Center in Doetinchem. The transferred archives of the (former) municipalities of Aalten and Dinxperlo can be viewed in the reading room of the Achterhoek and Liemers Heritage Center. Not all archives have yet been transferred in accordance with the term specified in the Archives Act. It is therefore advisable to first consult the Heritage Center's website: www.ecal.nu. If you select "inventories" in the menu: "Direct to access," you can immediately filter by category, for example, "general administration and politics."

In addition to local government archives, the Heritage Center also manages archives of private organizations such as businesses, schools, churches and so on.

View and retrieve building permits/drawings

The municipality has transferred the building permit archive up to and including 2010, effective January 24, 2024, to the archive repository at the Erfgoedcentrum Achterhoek en Liemers, IJsselkade 13, Doetinchem.

This concerns building permits

  • Former municipality of Aalten: 1906–2004
  • Former municipality of Dinxperlo: 1930-2004
  • Municipality of Aalten: 2005-2010 (through October)

View issued building permits/drawings or request a copy

The complete inventory of building permits is published on the Heritage Center website (www.ecal.nu).

Building permits/building plans/permits can be obtained directly from the Heritage Center.

When applying for a building permit or drawing, please clearly state exactly what you are looking for:

  • Address details plot
  • Description of the drawing (barn, house, structure, etc).
  • Your contact information

You will be charged for the cost of research and any scanning of construction drawings by the Heritage Center.

Contact details and opening hours Heritage Center

Opening hours

Opening hours Heritage Center

Visiting address

Building 't Brewinc
IJsselkade 13
7001 AN Doetinchem
Phone (0314) 78 70 78
E-mail info@ecal.nu

Website: www.ecal.nu

Postal address

P.O. Postbus
7000 AR Doetinchem

Additional information

For records older than 20 years, it is best to visit the regional archives or a Regional Historical Center (RHC) in your county.

Family Tree Research

The municipality only keeps information from records of the municipality itself. Therefore, you may have to search for information for genealogy research at multiple municipalities. You can do this as follows:

  • You go to the municipality you want information from. Do some data need to be looked up in the municipal archives? Then the municipality can forward your request.
  • You can also go to the National Archives Service. Then send a letter stating what information you are looking for.