Marijan GERDEJ*
* Arhivist v Pokrajinskem arhivu Maribor, Slovenija, in popisovalec arhivskega gradiva v več podjetjih. Naslov: Partizanska 42, SI - 2360 Radlje ob Dravi, Slovenija. El. pošta: marijan. gerdej@guest.arnes.si
Archivist at Pokrajinski arhiv Maribor (Regional archives of Maribor, Slovenia) and inventor of documentary and archival documents in archives and industrial undertakings. Address; Partizanska 42, SI - 2360 Radlje ob Dravi, Slovenia, e-mail: marijan.gerdej@guest.arnes.si
Elements of Private Archives in Former Industrial Undertakings
GERDEJ, Marijan, Elements of Private Archives in Former Industrial Undertakings. Atlanti, Vol. 17, No. 1-2, Trieste 2007, pp. 189-193.
Original in English, abstract in English, Italian and Slovenian, summary in Slovenian
According to my many years inventorying of documents in industrial undertakings I met there the elements of private archives within regular documentation. The records referred to persons (directors, managers of lower organization), which they had created having thejob or work functions in the industrial undertakings. The meaning of those records is certainly very important for the history investigation of an industrial undertaking, therefore it is right to dedicate archival and professional attention to those problems. On the other hand new Slovenian archival legislation exposed private archives but it is the guest ion if the legislation does not mainly enumerate the species of archival and private archives without consequences because also the discussion(s) of the archivists are evident about that.
GERDEJ, Marijan, Elementi di archivi privati nelle passate imprese industriali. Atlanti, Vol. 17, No. 1-2, Trieste 2007, pp. 189-193.
Nei molti anni trascorsi nell'inventariazione di documenti di imprese industriali, mi sono imbattu-to in elementi di archivi privati all'interno di docu-mentazioni regolari. I documenti si riferivano a persone (direttori, manager di organizzazjoni mi-nori) da esse creati nella loro carica o lavoro nelle imprese industriali. Il significato di tali documenti e certamente molto importante per la storia di un'impresa industriale, ed epercio giusto dedicare un'attenzione archivistica e professionale a quei problemi. D'altraparte, la nuova legislazione ar-chivistica slovena tratta degli archivi privati, ma rimane ancora la questione se la legge non faccia altro che enumerare le tipologie di archivi, fra cui quelli privati, senza ulteriori conseguen^e, dato che pure il dibattito fra gli archivisti si incentra su tale aspetto.
Introduction
The elements of private archives and records in industrial undertakings in Slovenia have mostly important place among of pleiad documents and records, which is produced in one industrial undertaking. The dealing of private records has an important role among thousand documents originated every day, which come and leave the secretaries, biros, departments, control services and many other sections in the industrial undertaking, but many of documents remain in private document cases and in other "repositories", which are not in archival place of the undertaking, where other records are protected and kept.
The industrial undertakings had in former Yugoslavia a special role. Till the time of disintegration of Yugoslavia there were no private industrial undertakings, but they were of state ownership. Nevertheless, also in those times many directors that were employed in industrial undertakings produced private records, while they were the personalities in the undertaking and made specific and personal decisions on development, politics, economy etc. On the other hand the conciseness of that was not be clear, while all thought that all records are only socialistic and there is no private records. Just after transforming of former Yugoslavia in 1991, when originated new states, also the ownership of industrial undertakings have changed. Some of them remained state property (concerns, trusts), but others became private.
Archival legislation in new state
As we say there were no private archives, nevertheless, the industrial undertakings were lead by private persons while directors had been. After the social and state changes, the politic to industrial undertaking had changed according of the origin and new social situation of new state. Many former leaders and directors take the opportunity and became new directors of private industrial undertakings. In earlier nineteenth century they take privately being directors and the influence on industrial undertakings were changed.
Drawing his inspiration some Slovenian archive leaders changed also archival legislation, believing, that the economic changing would bring also new changes to archival legislation1.
Therefore new archival legislation has really a disputable value, that is, unfortunately, unvalued for really and actually archival determination, however, many Slovenian archivists do not have really archival behaviour or a really influence to final signification. Viewing and analysing of published archival legislation, which was made newly again and again, the new goal of last one is putting to private archives. Whole legislation is claiming that the private archives must collect records and finally have to deliver them to state or regional archives2, but there is no law to deliver archives to state or regional archive, except of written, because there is no power to deliver records to nominated archives, however, all articles of the archival legislation speak directly of obligatory of delivery the records to nominated archives. Unfortunately, the professional and scientific view through that legislation, which is rapidly repeated through many years and nobody gave ears to real situation, have no signification to declared process. On the other hand, archives have no power to take archives through archival legislation, however, the legislation demand just that, i.e. delivering the archives and records to an archival institution. The question is: why and what for, while we know the practice of some other countries, where the records stay in the undertaking, because they originated there and they use them to show their history, economic development, social mission, etc.
As the origin of private archives is private, i.e. to continue the beginning, performing the process of developing through history and finally proving of the firma through the period, that are the duty of the private persons and not of a state or regional archive, however, it is very polite to confide the records to archival institution, but that is not obligatory as some archival politics think that.
Some Slovenian archivists had last year dedicate some lectors at the meeting of Archival Society of Slovenia, where some of the lecturers recognize situation of archival legislation, which has no legislative and effective end and goal to private records, but all professional statements of participants at meeting recognize, that archival legislation has no influence to change archival legislation, emphasizing, that archival legislation is made because it had to be made, but has not an effective consequence.
On the other hand, we must say, that new and valued Slovenian archival legislation have just that meaning, that for many years3 has some legislation value in the same, but the meaning of that is, however, not obligatory for nobody, not even for archives and neither for record creators. Unfortunately, we have no other view or opinion to new Slovenian archival legislation, which goal is to be new archival legislation, transcribed for many times.
Some Slovenian archivists had represent that problem and questions, not only at archival meeting but at every day investigation and working.
GERDEJ, Marijan, Elementi privatnih arhivov v nekdanjih državnih podjetjih. Atlanti, zv. 17, št. 1-2, Trst 2007, str. 189193.
Z dolgoletnim popisovanjem dokumentarnega in arhivskega gradiva v nekdanjih državnih podjetjih sem se srečeval z elementi privatnih arhivov, saj je pri količini velikega števila dokumentacije, bilo tudi takšna, ki se je nanašala na osebe, ki so vodile podjetje ali posamezne oddelke (direktorji, vodje služb, vodje organizacij na nivoju podjetja, itd.). Vsebina teh spisov p je nedvomno pomembna za zgodovino podjetja, zatoje prav, da temu posvetimo kar največjo pozornost. Slovenska arhivska zakonodaja govori tudi o privatnih arhivih, vendar se vprašujemo, ali ne gre zgolj za naštevanje vrst arhivskega in privatnega gradiva brez konsekvenc, o čemur pričajo tudi tozadevne razprave slovenskih arhivistov.
SUMMARY
V pričujočem referatu govorim o elementih tistega arhivskega in dokumentarnega gradiva, ki ima privatni značaj v arhivih nekdanjih in tudi sedanjih državnih podjetij. Čeprav se v nekdanji skupni državi ni govorilo o privatnih arhivih v podjetjih, t.j. v takratni terminologiji o sozdih, tozdih in podobnih strukturah sedanjih podjetij, pa je nedvomno nastajalo tudi gradivo, ki ga po današnjih pojmih lahko opredelimo za privatnega. Sprivatnimi arhivi se ukvarja tudi (nova) slovenska arhivska zakonodaja. V zakonskih določilih ni nikjer točno določeno, zakaj, čemu in kdaj mora
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podjetje oddati svoje gradivo državnemu ali pokrajinskemu arhivu oz. kdo ga more prisiliti, da to stori. Tako se zdi, da je zakon napisan (ali na novo zopet in zopet prepisan) za nekaj, kar ne obstaja, saj bi se morali bolje ukvarjati z možnostmi in načini, kako naj ima neko podjetje možnost in priložnost hraniti svoj arhiv v državni in pokrajinski ustanovi, ki ga imenujemo arhiv. Iz razprav, ki jih je organiziralo tudi Arhivsko društvo Slovenije leta 2006je razvidna prav ta dimenzija.
Arhivi podjetij hranijo svojo dokumentacijo v takšnih ali drugačnih skladiščih, ki so v večini primerov, žal, v prostorih, ki niso primerni za hranjenje dokumentacije za daljši čas. V tem prispevku ne govorim o skladiščih, vendar izpozna-vanja razmer vsaj skozi trideset let spoznavanja arhivov zagotovo trdim, da še mnogo skladišč ni ustreznih, ker so izpostavljeni vdorom meteorne vode, gradivo se nahaja v kleteh, kjerje vlaga in je zloženo na lesene police, za upravljanje in vodenje arhiva podjetja nimajo ustreznih delavcev, itd. Po drugi strani pa nedvomno lahko rečem, da so nekatera nova podjetja le spremenila pogled na arhive in imajo tudi sodobne arhive. Vloga skladiščenja ima zagotovo tudi svojo vlogo na privatne arhive vpodjetjih. Veliko dokumentacije je finančne in prodajno - nabavne narave. Ta dokumentacija se hrani v arhivskih skladiščih, medtem ko imamo v podjetjih tudi drugo dokumentacijo. Ta dokumentacija nastaja v pisarnah direktorjev sektorjev in glavnega direktorja, pa v razvojnih oddelkih itd. To gradivo ima poseben pomen, še posebno, če nastaja pri sposobnem in
Types of private archives in industrial undertakings
As the title of this lecture is the matter of private archives, and nevertheless the archival legislation in Slovenia has no legislative consequence, the legislation distinguishes many types of records especially in industrial undertakings. There are many of records in industrial undertaking that could be said that are private archives.
Because of my work for many years in industrial undertakings, I must say that by my opinion the whole archives, i.e. records or documentation (in Slovenia is carried as ^ocumenl^ary ar^chives) is/are of private archives, nevertheless, the records in private undertakings are mostly kept in repositories, because of their financial and economic regulars, i.e. legislation and because of quantity are kept in repositories. On the other hand, all other records are kept privately, not in repositories, while the bureaucrat legislation demands an abnormal quantity of papers and therefore enormous paces for keeping them, although we know today about computer and new media administration. Nevertheless, if the computer administration increases, also the paper increases. That is a new act of modern office administration, which has undreamed consequence to archival dealing and operation.
The records in industrial undertakings are actually separated into financial, saleable and providing records, which is under the control of state (financial) institutions (ministry of finance, etc.) and the similar legislation, however, unfortunately they have no connection of archival legislation! Of course, there are also some other records in industrial legislation, i.e. of directors and administration, the service of (getting the) workers, on the other side the services and directors of analysis, technical services, and others.
Short outline of private records and private archives
Most of those services create private records, while the persons, who are the directors, are mostly significant, educated, well known and important men, which take care for development of the undertaking, of its economic evolution, viewing of cadres, modernising of working places, education, administration, new technology, etc. For that reason the records of those services really mostly do not belong to entire records of the industrial undertakings, like to financial, but are mostly private, because on the other hand this are such records, that mostly have a conspiratorial meaning, that have a special and long term meaning of keeping and have also a long term of keeping. It is not suitable to keep those records in repositories, because repositories are rarely good equipped (while most repositories are equipped wit wooden shelves, are in unsuitable places, which are now and then exposed to humidity, i.e. meteor shower, etc.) and are not suitable for keeping for most important records. Those must be kept in safety chests in very safety places.
On the other hand the financial and saleable records have not long term keeping and are allotted to selection, while records of di-
rectory mostly have an important role and an archival value. Therefore, and because of other hand, while there are not in so great quantity, there are mostly more important, have an historic value, while there are records of foundation, developing of industrial undertakings, have connection with other undertakings in contracts, important decisions, development and other important economic situation and prosperity.
According to my long time past occupying of records in industrial undertakings I would say, that there are really many private archives there, while also in communist or socialist era many important directors form their own records, which had no place in the neglected repositories, either of the significant and important of the records, neither of the keeping places, which had no possibility of safe keeping for long time. On the other hand, the private records were mostly also private, while they concern an autobiographic direction of the record creator, nevertheless, the records had also an economic, future and very important value, that have to be kept in special places; and because of their personal value of record creator, had also a special dimension of value.
Conclusion
I really shortly represented the species of private records in industrial undertakings, observing through the actually origin and distinction of the records there, but I think that I definitely represent the real problem of private archives in industrial undertakings definition. On the other side, it is important to look through the actually role of the records there through the view of recognition and valuation. That must be the first step of definition and evaluation of private archives and its records.
However, those are the most important types of private records in the industrial undertakings. Most of records are actually private, while the records of course have the meaning of one industrial undertaking, but specifically have personal meaning of each record creator, who is the personally and/or individual. As the archival legislation in Slovenia shows the private archives in industrial undertakings as they were there private records and the records have to be eliminated to state and regional archives, there is no necessity to deliver private archives to list archives.
I think that the industrial undertakings have the task to keep their own records to show and represent their own activity and industry in the time history and in other hand to show in the time history the opportunity and development of activity, knowledge and ability and talents of each individual and authority in the institution, industrial undertaking and society.
That is the first and most important role of private archives and the archival legislation must to make possible to legalize to each archives in our and in every society.
In the end I must say that the records in industrial undertakings have the greater meaning, nevertheless, they were created in for-
osebnostno in dru^heno uveljavljenem človeku. Takrat pa gradivo dobi nove dimenzije. Tudi nekdaj, ko je bilo vse gradivo opredeljeno za družbeno, se je zaradi nastajanja pomembnih dokumentov pri direktorjih in vodjih pomembnih oddelkov, je to gradivo nedvomno imelo drugačen pomen od finančnega in prodajno — nabavnega, saj je bilo drugačno in pomembnejše že zaradi rokov hrambe, po drugi strani pa je bilo pomembno prav zaradi tega, ker je nastalo pri pomembnih osebnostih, ker je bilo za zgodovinski vidik podjetja in dejavnosti nepogrešljivo in ker je imelo podlago za znanstveno raziskovalno proučevanje. Seveda, tudi finančno in prodajno — nabavno gradivo, četudi se zdi, da je zgolj dokumentarno in kot se zdi nekaterim arhivistom, da nima ^ačaja arhivskega gradiva in da je manjvredno, ima nedvomno nekatere lastnosti arhivskega gradiva, saj lahko raziskovalci tudi po desetih ali petnajstih dneh raziskujejo, npr. kakšen je bil trgprodaje določenih izdelkov in kakšen je bil trg nekdaj, komu vse in kam so izdelke prodajali, itd.
Vsekakorje pa gradivo, ki nastaja v drugih direktorskih in v projektivno razvojnih službah, pomembnejše za podjetje. Tako se to gradivo ne hrani v arhivskih skladiščih (kleteh), ampak v varnostnih omarah in večkrat tudi v osebnih »skladiščih« ustvarjalcev (direktorjev, vodij, itd.) in ima za podjetje nedvomno tudi drugačen, razvojno in znanstveno pomemben historični pomen. Tako moram skleniti, da se arhivsko in dokumentarno gradivo, ki je nastajalo v nekdanjih socialističnih podjetjih in v sedanjih, ne razlikuje, saj sepomembnost dokumentov nedvomno dokazuje zpomembnostjo oseb, kjer dokumenti nastajajo. In to dokumentacijo moramo tudi tako vrednotiti, da večji je družbeni in osebnostni pomen ustvarjalca, večji pomen imajo dokumenti za arhivsko kulturno dediščino.
mer socialistic undertakings or in modem or contemporary, if higher personal and social enforced person created them, and therefore have higher and historical meaning. That is the final goal of archival judging of private archival in industrial undertakings now and in former times, what will be a real part in archival heritage of the undertaking and society.