STATE ARCHIVE OF ODESA REGION (SAOR)

Address, Directorship:

Odesa Archive: HISTORY, FONDS AND COLLECTIONS

State Archive of Odesa Region was established in 1920 as Odesa Historical Archive. Its main functions were concentration of archival documents on the territory of Odesa and Odesa Guberniia (Province), control under departmental archives, responsibility for safety of valuable materials, research work and publication of documents. Many famous scientists, public leaders and officials took part in creating of state archival system in Odesa Region such as: Professor of History M.E.Slabchenko, Professor of Russian Literature J.G.Oksman, Professor of Economics S.J.Borovoy, an archivist A.A.Riabinin-Skliarevsky and others.

SAOR was started with 22 fonds and collections taken from various organizations, agencies, churches which stopped their activities after revolution. Since 1920 main regional institutions has been systematically transferring their valuable records to SAOR for permanent keeping under protection of the State. Till 1940 above 44 000 fonds were concentrated in SAOR.

With the beginning of the World War II and German-Romanian occupation of Odesa in 1941 major portion of records were evacuated to Stalinhrad, later to the town of Uralsk in West-Kazakhstan Region. More than 1 million files (50 %) were lost during the war. In April 1944 SAOR renew its work in Odesa. Until 1958 it was subordinated to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, then to the Main Archival Administration of Ukraine, since 1999 - to the State Committee of Archives of Ukraine. In 1992 SAOR included records of the former Archive of Odesa Regional Committee of the Communist Party of USSR (more then 6 000 fonds).

Nowadays the State Archive of Odesa Region is one of the biggest archives in the South of Ukraine. It is keeping above 13 000 fonds and collections that include about 2 million files. They are always of great interest for researchers.

Documents cover period since the end of 18 cent. till nowadays and reflect history of Odesa, Odesa Region and Southern Ukraine. Main fonds of the pre-revolutionary period are: Administrations of Novorosiia and Bessarabiia Governor-General, Odesa City Chief, Odesa City Council, Odesa Police Office, Commercial Court, Kherson Orthodox Consistoria (1752-1925), Odesa City Rabbi (1875-1920), St.Paul Evangelic-Lutheran Church (1811-1920), Roman-Catholic Church of the village of Krasna (Bessarabiia) (1917-1939), Banks, Odesa Port Offices, Customs, Novorosiia University, colleges and schools, Building organizations, Cultural societies and others.

Similar records are being kept in the archive for the period since 1920 - regional, city, district and village administrations, plants, colleges, societies, etc.

138 family collections of scientists, public figures, artists, musicians, other famous people are also among the most valuable collections.

The Odesa Archive is the main scientific and methodical center for 6 municipal archives, 26 district ones and more then 2000 archives of institutions and organizations.

STRUCTURE AND STAFF: 4 departments and Laboratory, 92 persons including 52 specialists-archivists.

1. Dept. of Information, Publication and External Relations

Functions and services: fulfillment of requests from organization and private persons, genealogical research (Germans, Mennonites, Jews, Greeks, Swiss, French etc.), acceptance of orders for copying of documents (xerox-copy, negative microfilm). Compiling of guides, reference books and reviews on archival fonds and documents, research projects.

Preparation of radio- and TV programs, articles in newspapers and magazines, publication of documents, scientific work. Work with students (archival practice), organization of researchers' work in the Reading Room (consulting on the subject of research, archival fonds). Exhibits of records and excursions, lectures, meetings. International projects.

Tel. (0482) 250910

Head of Dept. - Vladyslav Kharkovenko

2. Dept. of Keeping and Registration of Records

Functions: Keeping of records, registration of fonds. Responsibility for depository. Providing archivists and researchers in the Reading Room with files. Compiling of guides, reference books and reviews on archival fonds and documents, research projects.

Tel. (0482) 251219

Head of Dept. - Veronika Alekseieva

3. Catalogue

Function: Classification of records and collections. Compiling of inventories. Additions to catalogues (personal, subject and geographical ones). Compiling of guides, reference books and reviews of archival fonds and documents, research projects. Consulting the researchers.

Head of Dept. - Valentina Onopriienko; care-taker - Olha Naboka

4. Dept. of Document Integration

Functions: Control under departmental archives, cooperation with district archives. Finding of sources of document integration. Expert evaluation of records before their acquisition for state keeping. Providing of reception of fonds. Assistance to organization in records management. Lectures and courses on records management.

Tel. (0482) 225305

Head of Dept. - Tamara Ratushna

Laboratory: Restoration of documents. Copying of records (negative microfilm), other technical work.

Tel. (482) 251219

Head - Olena Skalska

Information on activity of the Odesa Archive in January-April 2002

Restoration

Over 10000 sheets and 154 files were renewed. The main problem is lack of special paper for restoration.


Appendix 1

State Archive of Odesa Region
Zhukovskoho Str., 18, Odesa, 65026, Ukraine

Tel. (8-0482) 250910, e-mail art1@te.net.ua, gaoo@te.net.ua

GENEALOGICAL SEARCH FORM

Your full name_________________________________________________
Your post address, E-mail______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
FOCUS OF SEARCH
1. To confirm certain events in the life of a single individual
Person to be searched:

Full name________________________________________________________
Religion_________________________________________________________
Date and place of birth__________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Parents__________________________________________________________
Brothers, sisters________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Date and place of marriage_______________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Wife, husband____________________________________________________
Children_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Date and place of death__________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
MY QUESTIONS ARE:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
2. To search the family history:

Family name______________________________________________________
Religion_________________________________________________________
Place (colony, district, province) and period of residence_______
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
MY QUESTIONS ARE:
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Date_____________________              Signature_________________
Specialists of the Odesa Archive in Genealogy
  1. Liliia Belousova, Ukrainian, Russian and English speaking, tel. +380 482 250910, e-mail art1@te.net.ua, gaoo@te.net.ua
  2. Halyna Malinova, Russian and English speaking, tel. +380 482 250910, e-mail gaoo@te.net.ua
  3. Vladyslav Kharkovenko, Russian and Ukrainian speaking, tel. +380 482 250910, e-mail gaoo@te.net.ua
  4. Stephan Zheliaskov, Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian speaking, tel. +380 482 251219

 

NB. Genealogical research is free of charge in the Reading Room only.

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