Thomas Schmid
@thschmid.bsky.social
archivar/archivist, historiker/historian, latinist #archivCH #fridaynightatthearchives #viedarchiviste #AarbergBisZweisimmen
Mastodon @[email protected]
Instagram @th_schmid
Mastodon @[email protected]
Instagram @th_schmid
Pinned
Thomas Schmid
@thschmid.bsky.social
· Jun 22
"Cäsar schlug die Gallier.
Hatte er nicht wenigstens einen Koch bei sich?"
Bertolt Brecht: Fragen eines lesenden Arbeiters (www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?...)
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fu...
Hatte er nicht wenigstens einen Koch bei sich?"
Bertolt Brecht: Fragen eines lesenden Arbeiters (www.e-periodica.ch/digbib/view?...)
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fu...
Palantir, die Schweiz – und der Techno-Faschismus
Palantir, die Schweiz – und der Techno-Faschismus
Die Tech-Firma propagiert eine Zukunft, in der Demokratie als Hindernis gilt. Auch bei uns.
www.republik.ch
December 8, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Palantir, die Schweiz – und der Techno-Faschismus
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
La Société suisse d'histoire publie un plaidoyer pour la formation en histoire: www.sgg-ssh.ch/fr/news/plai...
#histCH #archivCH
#histCH #archivCH
Plaidoyer pour la formation en histoire - SGG-SSH-SSS
«L’enseignement de l’histoire n’est pas un luxe, mais un pilier de notre société.» C’est avec ce postulat programmatique que commence le plaidoyer...Read More...
www.sgg-ssh.ch
December 5, 2025 at 10:43 AM
La Société suisse d'histoire publie un plaidoyer pour la formation en histoire: www.sgg-ssh.ch/fr/news/plai...
#histCH #archivCH
#histCH #archivCH
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
A blast from my past - the Medieval Soldier database takes nearly 300,000 military service records from 1369-1453 and makes them available as a searchable database.
An invaluable resource for understanding medieval warfare, society and the English medieval state. Learn more in the link. 🗃️
An invaluable resource for understanding medieval warfare, society and the English medieval state. Learn more in the link. 🗃️
We built a database of 290,000 English medieval soldiers – here’s what it reveals
We created the database in order to challenge assumptions about the lack of professionalism of everyday soldiers.
theconversation.com
December 2, 2025 at 10:17 AM
A blast from my past - the Medieval Soldier database takes nearly 300,000 military service records from 1369-1453 and makes them available as a searchable database.
An invaluable resource for understanding medieval warfare, society and the English medieval state. Learn more in the link. 🗃️
An invaluable resource for understanding medieval warfare, society and the English medieval state. Learn more in the link. 🗃️
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
"...generative AI tools always produce an answer, even when the historical sources are incomplete or silent. Because their purpose is to generate content, they cannot indicate that no information exists; instead, they will invent details that appear plausible but have no basis in the [...] record."
December 4, 2025 at 10:20 AM
"...generative AI tools always produce an answer, even when the historical sources are incomplete or silent. Because their purpose is to generate content, they cannot indicate that no information exists; instead, they will invent details that appear plausible but have no basis in the [...] record."
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
Heute vor 280 Jahren: Letzer Luchs im Rothaargebirge erlegt | siwiarchiv.de www.siwiarchiv.de/heute-vor-28... @thschmid.bsky.social : Danke!
siwiarchiv.de | Blog der Archive im Kreis Siegen-Wittgenstein
siwiarchiv.de
November 29, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Heute vor 280 Jahren: Letzer Luchs im Rothaargebirge erlegt | siwiarchiv.de www.siwiarchiv.de/heute-vor-28... @thschmid.bsky.social : Danke!
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
Frauen im Spätmittelalter heißen ja meistens Katharina, Elisabeth oder Margarethe. Ausgefallene Namen sind eher selten. So zumindest der Urkundenbefund. Deshalb heute #NameOfTheDay: Adyatica. Zu finden auf #HHStA AUR 19735 aus dem Jahr 1413.
November 26, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Frauen im Spätmittelalter heißen ja meistens Katharina, Elisabeth oder Margarethe. Ausgefallene Namen sind eher selten. So zumindest der Urkundenbefund. Deshalb heute #NameOfTheDay: Adyatica. Zu finden auf #HHStA AUR 19735 aus dem Jahr 1413.
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
I do take all of Dr Jackson's points but, as an archivist, handwritten text recognition is still an extremely exciting development.
It will allow us to improve our knowledge of our collections and to make them available in ways that can make them more accessible, more useful to more researchers.
It will allow us to improve our knowledge of our collections and to make them available in ways that can make them more accessible, more useful to more researchers.
You know what we won't need once handwriting recognition software has done its thing? Archivists, curators, conservators, catalogers, codicologists, or paleographers. We won't need archives either. We won't need diplomatics, editorial theory, book or media history, or material culture studies 🗃️🧵
November 27, 2025 at 11:44 AM
I do take all of Dr Jackson's points but, as an archivist, handwritten text recognition is still an extremely exciting development.
It will allow us to improve our knowledge of our collections and to make them available in ways that can make them more accessible, more useful to more researchers.
It will allow us to improve our knowledge of our collections and to make them available in ways that can make them more accessible, more useful to more researchers.
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
#Archives are far more than “content.” Their diplomatic and contextual frameworks reveal how a document was created, transmitted: insight essential for understanding its intent, authority, and true meaning.
Opting for shortcuts depletes the richness of records and will drain them of their meaning.
Opting for shortcuts depletes the richness of records and will drain them of their meaning.
You know what we won't need once handwriting recognition software has done its thing? Archivists, curators, conservators, catalogers, codicologists, or paleographers. We won't need archives either. We won't need diplomatics, editorial theory, book or media history, or material culture studies 🗃️🧵
November 27, 2025 at 11:51 AM
#Archives are far more than “content.” Their diplomatic and contextual frameworks reveal how a document was created, transmitted: insight essential for understanding its intent, authority, and true meaning.
Opting for shortcuts depletes the richness of records and will drain them of their meaning.
Opting for shortcuts depletes the richness of records and will drain them of their meaning.
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
So, the week after next, I'll be getting on a plane and flying to visit an archive where I'll <checks notes> waste my valuable time trying to read some handwritten documents, and you know what? That's totally fine by me.
November 26, 2025 at 10:12 PM
So, the week after next, I'll be getting on a plane and flying to visit an archive where I'll <checks notes> waste my valuable time trying to read some handwritten documents, and you know what? That's totally fine by me.
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
You know what we won't need once handwriting recognition software has done its thing? Archivists, curators, conservators, catalogers, codicologists, or paleographers. We won't need archives either. We won't need diplomatics, editorial theory, book or media history, or material culture studies 🗃️🧵
November 26, 2025 at 10:12 PM
You know what we won't need once handwriting recognition software has done its thing? Archivists, curators, conservators, catalogers, codicologists, or paleographers. We won't need archives either. We won't need diplomatics, editorial theory, book or media history, or material culture studies 🗃️🧵
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
After “Archive Fever”, a lot of people at the theoretical end of archival science got very excited that Derrida had written about their field.
I’ve been told that Derrida eventually said words to the effect of “I wasn’t talking about *actual* archives, you yokels.”
I’ve been told that Derrida eventually said words to the effect of “I wasn’t talking about *actual* archives, you yokels.”
One of my colleagues went to a seminar at Berkeley and when someone asked a question Derrida brushed it off saying ‘what you ask may be important but it is not interesting’.
This path leads to chaos.
November 27, 2025 at 7:35 PM
After “Archive Fever”, a lot of people at the theoretical end of archival science got very excited that Derrida had written about their field.
I’ve been told that Derrida eventually said words to the effect of “I wasn’t talking about *actual* archives, you yokels.”
I’ve been told that Derrida eventually said words to the effect of “I wasn’t talking about *actual* archives, you yokels.”
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
A good day to be over at Snape Maltings for a meeting: arrival nearly delayed by my being diverted off the route between car park and office, going slithering off across the mud in search of the right angle.
November 28, 2025 at 5:30 PM
A good day to be over at Snape Maltings for a meeting: arrival nearly delayed by my being diverted off the route between car park and office, going slithering off across the mud in search of the right angle.
#AarbergBisZweisimmen
#Lützelflüh, ehemalige Reibe/Stampfe
Wikimedia Commons, Urs Schönholzer, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eh...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
#Lützelflüh, ehemalige Reibe/Stampfe
Wikimedia Commons, Urs Schönholzer, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eh...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 8:54 AM
#AarbergBisZweisimmen
#Lützelflüh, ehemalige Reibe/Stampfe
Wikimedia Commons, Urs Schönholzer, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eh...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
#Lützelflüh, ehemalige Reibe/Stampfe
Wikimedia Commons, Urs Schönholzer, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eh...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
#AarbergBisZweisimmen
#Lütschental, Kraftwerk
Wikimedia Commons, qwesy qwesy, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:El...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
#Lütschental, Kraftwerk
Wikimedia Commons, qwesy qwesy, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:El...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 12:53 AM
#AarbergBisZweisimmen
#Lütschental, Kraftwerk
Wikimedia Commons, qwesy qwesy, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:El...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
#Lütschental, Kraftwerk
Wikimedia Commons, qwesy qwesy, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:El...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
How Morocco's Western Sahara gamble paid off
How Morocco's Western Sahara gamble paid off | Mapped Out
YouTube video by DW News
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 7:07 PM
How Morocco's Western Sahara gamble paid off
November 23, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Vom Archiv ins Netz: 100 Jahre SAC Bern zum Durchstöbern
#Burgerbibliothek #Bern #privatarchive #alpinismus 📜
#Burgerbibliothek #Bern #privatarchive #alpinismus 📜
Vom Archiv ins Netz: 100 Jahre SAC Bern zum Durchstöbern
Die «Clubnachrichten» der SAC-Sektion Bern sind digital verfügbar. «Was, das habt ihr noch nicht alles online?», ist eine Frage, die unter Archivmitarbeitende längst Meme-Status erreicht hat. Denn so ...
www.bgbern.ch
November 23, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Vom Archiv ins Netz: 100 Jahre SAC Bern zum Durchstöbern
#Burgerbibliothek #Bern #privatarchive #alpinismus 📜
#Burgerbibliothek #Bern #privatarchive #alpinismus 📜
November 23, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
As a historian, I have been torturing myself by watching some of the series that the White House in cooperation with Hillsdale College produced about American Independence (tellingly, they avoid the word "revolution").
There are so many errors that it is hard to know where to begin. But I'll try
There are so many errors that it is hard to know where to begin. But I'll try
November 22, 2025 at 11:33 PM
As a historian, I have been torturing myself by watching some of the series that the White House in cooperation with Hillsdale College produced about American Independence (tellingly, they avoid the word "revolution").
There are so many errors that it is hard to know where to begin. But I'll try
There are so many errors that it is hard to know where to begin. But I'll try
#AarbergBisZweisimmen
#Lüscherz, Gasthof Drei Fische
Wikimedia Commons, Andreas59Mathys, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
#Lüscherz, Gasthof Drei Fische
Wikimedia Commons, Andreas59Mathys, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
November 23, 2025 at 6:02 AM
#AarbergBisZweisimmen
#Lüscherz, Gasthof Drei Fische
Wikimedia Commons, Andreas59Mathys, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
#Lüscherz, Gasthof Drei Fische
Wikimedia Commons, Andreas59Mathys, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
Reposted by Thomas Schmid
The Mystery of the Charlotte County Deteriorated Court Records 📜
uncommonwealth.lva.virginia.gov/blog/2025/11...
uncommonwealth.lva.virginia.gov/blog/2025/11...
The Mystery of the Charlotte County Deteriorated Court Records
What’s the story behind the court records housed in a miniature Plexiglas display case?
uncommonwealth.lva.virginia.gov
November 21, 2025 at 10:04 PM
The Mystery of the Charlotte County Deteriorated Court Records 📜
uncommonwealth.lva.virginia.gov/blog/2025/11...
uncommonwealth.lva.virginia.gov/blog/2025/11...
#AarbergBisZweisimmen
#Loveresse, Clown Grock
Wikimedia Commons, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gr...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
#Loveresse, Clown Grock
Wikimedia Commons, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gr...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
November 22, 2025 at 5:48 AM
#AarbergBisZweisimmen
#Loveresse, Clown Grock
Wikimedia Commons, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gr...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
#Loveresse, Clown Grock
Wikimedia Commons, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gr...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
#AarbergBisZweisimmen
#Lotzwil
Wikimedia Commons, Schweizerische Nationalbibliothek, Johann Emanuel Locher, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CH...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
#Lotzwil
Wikimedia Commons, Schweizerische Nationalbibliothek, Johann Emanuel Locher, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CH...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
November 21, 2025 at 6:11 AM
#AarbergBisZweisimmen
#Lotzwil
Wikimedia Commons, Schweizerische Nationalbibliothek, Johann Emanuel Locher, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CH...
@wikimediach.bsky.social
#Lotzwil
Wikimedia Commons, Schweizerische Nationalbibliothek, Johann Emanuel Locher, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CH...
@wikimediach.bsky.social