The Reiss Institute (in French: Institut Archibald Reiss) is a non-governmental, non-profit entity registered in Lausanne, Switzerland. The goal of the Reiss Institute is to memorialize the person and works of Archibald Reiss (1875 – 1929), German-Swiss humanist, criminologist, publicist, and devoted friend of the Serbian people, and to reaffirm in present-day Serbia those values, virtues, and principles which fascinated Reiss and attracted him to Serbia at the beginning of the twentieth century.
In conjunction with the pursuit of this goal, the Reiss Institute acquires, edits, and publishes written records and materials relevant to a deeper appreciation of Dr. Archibald Reiss and his commitment to truth and justice for the Serbian nation, especially to a better understanding of the conditions in which he lived and worked and the historical milieu of his epoch. In admiration for the virtues Reiss displayed, the Institute also strives to encourage a culture of remembrance extending to other notable personalities and events which shaped Serbian history, in particular during the great tribulations experienced by the Serbian nation in the course of the twentieth century. The Reiss Institute is committed to a critical re-examination of the past, using scholarly methods of critical investigation, but with awareness that past events and bygone personalities, no matter how illustrious, should not merely be a subject of investigative curiosity but also a stimulus for the proper understanding of contemporary trends and events.
The Reiss Institute’s mission is focused on public education, including publishing, lectures, and other related activities.
The Reiss Institute is committed to the creation of a vibrant public space in which the topics which encapsulate its mission can be freely, responsibly, and competently discussed.