National Archives of Romania (Arhivele Naţionale ale României)

Overview

The National Archives of Romania (Arhivele Naţionale ale României), known until 1996 as the State Archives (Arhivele Statului), are Romania's national archives, headquartered in Bucharest and subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The institution has 42 regional branches, one in each Romanian county plus one for Bucharest.

History

Archival record-keeping in the Danubian Principalities dates at least to the 18th century, kept by princely chancelleries, church authorities, and monasteries. The Archives of Wallachia were established May 1, 1831, and those of Moldavia January 1, 1832, under the Regulamentul Organic administrative laws, though these early archives were largely theoretical, with legislation addressing budget and staffing rather than archival practice. Following the 1859 Union of the Principalities, the Archives were placed under a General Directorate in Bucharest in 1862, subordinate to the Ministry of Justice, Religious Affairs and Public Education; this is generally considered the founding of the modern institution. Collections grew substantially in 1864 following the secularization of monastery estates. After Romania's territorial expansion at the end of World War I, State Archives were established in Cluj (1920, for Transylvania), Cernăuţi (1924, for Bukovina), and Chişinău (1925, for Bessarabia); a new 1925 law provided for regional directorates. In 1951, under the early Communist regime, the State Archives Directorate came under the Ministry of Internal Affairs and adopted the Soviet organizational model. A new archival law, Law nr. 16/1996 (later modified by Law nr. 138/2013), gave the institution its current name and legal framework following the fall of Communism.

Collections, Holdings, and Publications

By law, the National Archival Deposit of Romania encompasses official and private documents, diplomatic and consular records, manuscripts, maps, plans, seals, and photographic, video, audio, and computer recordings of historic value produced in Romania or by Romanian creators abroad. Following the 1989 Revolution, the Archives took custody of the records of the Central Committee of the Romanian Communist Party, spanning from the party's 1921 founding to its 1989 dissolution. The institution publishes the quarterly Revista Arhivelor and other specialty publications, and has been a member of the International Council on Archives since 1954.

Access and Usage

The Bucharest headquarters maintains study rooms and a microfilm room open to researchers on weekdays; certified researchers can access archive files after applying with proof of a college degree and a letter of intent describing their research scope. Frequently requested materials include church and family records and documents on the history of Communism, land reform, collectivization, and nationalization.