Problem kopiowania polskich akt z okresu nowożytnego przechowywanych w archiwach rosyjskich, ukraińskich i białoruskich oraz udostępniania pozyskanych skanów i mikrofilmów
The Issue of Copying Polish Records from the Modern Era Held in Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian Archives and the Availability of Obtained Scans and Microfilms

Author(s): Janusz Łosowski
Subject(s): Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence, Cultural history, History of Art
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: reprography; digitisation; microfilming; Polish archives; Russia; Belarus; Ukraine
Summary/Abstract: As a consequence of the Partitions of Poland and two world wars, many valuable Polish records have come to be held in Russian archives, as well as in Belarusian and Ukrainian archives following the dissolution of the USSR. The access to these files for Polish researchers is pricey and at times also restricted. This is why the Central Archives of Historical Records in Warsaw sought to obtain for a fee microfilms and scans of Polish records currently held in Lviv. The initiative proved fruitful, with the Archives receiving copies of over 400,000 pages of various archival materials. They are currently made available exclusively in the research room of the archive and may be photographed by the users. The State Archive in Lublin was able to obtain for a fee scans of 40 Old Polish court books currently held in Minsk. They can be accessed remotely on the website of the Lublin Digital Archive, which is very convenient for the users. The Polish side should secure funds to take similar steps in regard to Polish records held in Russian archives, but this will only be possible upon the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war, conclusion of a peace treaty, or return to normal Polish-Russian diplomatic relations.

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