The Central Archives of Historical Records Holdings in the Study of 19th century History in the Independent Poland (1918–1939)

The purpose of this article was to analyze the use of the records of the Central Archives of Historical Records and Archives of Historical Records in the study of 19th–century history. Items of interests were the works of historians dealing with this period: Maria and Tadeusz Manteuffel, Helena Więckowska, Ryszard Przelaskowski. From 1918 to 1939 the most popular records were items of the central administration, both of the Duchy of Warsaw and of the Polish Kingdom, fonds arising from the activities of the police and judicial institutions containing the records of martyrdom and persecution of the Polish nation. In the archives was looked for answers on how it was possible to survive period of captivity, what the source of life force of the Polish nation was. These archives, which traditions inherited contemporary The Central Archives of Historical Records, played a role of both resources’ storage that is an important part of the historian’s research and a treasure of the memory, a collection of records still alive, that evoke emotion, memories, which are pieces of biography of the insurgents’ generation of 1863/1864. The use of archival materials to research on 19th–century was dependent on several factors. Adopted research programs were one of them. Mainly those assuming that archives were an essential part of historical research. Also publishing policy of the Warsaw Scientific Society preferred works based on previously unknown source material, thus, it favored the use of archival records. This also contributed to the creation of studies in the historical sources to the history of the 19th century. Progressing elaboration of records and popularization of the holdings, to which also contributed research on the history of creators and the content of archival fonds, were the second factor influencing the use of the holdings of The Central Archives of Historical Records and The Archives of Historical Records in historical research. Therefore, the holdings of these archives had the important social functions through the joint efforts of archivists and historians