Robert Degen - Collecting in Polish archives in 1945-1989. Research problem and basic literature survey


In would appear that term "collecting" - generally used in Polish archive studies - has unambiguously meaning and scope. Unfortunately, for the purposes of present paper indispensable turned out an attempt at specifying the subject and scope of holdings collection. It was assumed that this is one of five - beside storing, arrangement, description and making accessible - basic tasks of archives, which consist in replenishing the holdings with new materials. It is not accidental action; it must follow precisely defined rules. It becomes executable thanks to suitable shaping of increasing holdings and its territorial pertinence. Not always collecting is systematical operation - periodicity of replenishing the record of historical archive with new archival materials is in principle possible merely within the confines of archival network. Therefore, sometimes completing holdings of archives of historical character require purchasing archival materials being a private property or generated and kept by institutions that function beyond archival network.

Perceiving collecting record as scientific matter, one cannot consider it alone, separately from others tasks that archives face. Files were never collected without a serious reason and purpose. This remark should determine chronological studies on collecting records in Polish archives, for example in period 1945-1989 when archives permanently fulfilled - beside collecting - tasks of storing, arrangement, description and making accessible the holdings, and they functioned in the state of specific political system, of which totalitarian character could have also affected the aim of archives operating and their actual functioning. Controversial problem is whether to expand the scope of studies on collecting archival materials on all archive networks or to limit it to one selected network, for instance network of state archives, the most developed one and being a subject to beyond-archival interference.

Rich, although dealing with details of mentioned studies questions, literature alongside with diverse - published or not published - source material enable carrying out studies on widely interpreted collecting records in Polish archives in years 1945-1989. Nevertheless, complexity of discussed matter should induce to consider dividing studies into several stages, identifying in turn particular problems, for instance policy of formation and arrangement of collections. Dealing with them from as wide as possible point of view of changes in Polish humanities, separately perceived archive studies, state policy toward science should not bring any negative consequences.