Activating Displaced Radio Archives: The German ‘Loot Collection’ (Kořistní Fond) at Czech Radio

This paper examines the obstacles to studying and using displaced radio archives, taking as a case study a collection of historic recordings from Nazi Germany that is held at the Czech Radio archive in Prague. This so-called 'Loot Collection' (Kořistní fond) occupies an awkward position between established categories and is confronted simultaneously by the challenges common to historic sound archives, and those specific to collections which have been displaced from their point of origin. The paper shares some early analysis of the history and content of this collection, and argues for a transnational approach to 'activate' other overlooked archival collections whose history and relevance spreads across contemporary national borders.