Metadata: Temporary Administrative Commission of the Vilnius Department
Collection
- Country:
- Lithuania
- Holding institution:
- Lithuanian State Historical Archives
- Postal address:
- Mindaugo g. 8, 03107 Vilnius
- Phone number:
- +370 5 213 7482
- Web address:
- https://www.archyvai.lt/lt/lvia.html
- Email:
- istorijos.archyvas@lvai.lt
- Reference number:
- F. 1532
- Title:
- Temporary Administrative Commission of the Vilnius Department
- Title (official language):
- Vilniaus departamento laikinoji administracinė komisija (Comission provisoire l'administration departament de Vilna)
- Creator/accumulator:
- Lithuanian State Historical Archives
- Date(s):
- 1812
- Language:
- French
- Polish
- Extent:
- 16 files
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Physical condition:
- good
- Scope and content:
-
This collection shows the condition of the Vilnius region during the Napoleon occupation in 1812. There are documents on the politics of the occupational authorities; organisation of the occupying administration and their activity; collection of food and goods for the French army; collection of taxes received through requisitions; robberies, encirclement of Napoleon's soldiers; actions by peasants against the invaders; resident’s petitions and complaints about sub-prefects. The fonds contains different types of documents: correspondence, lists, circulars, reports, regulations, applications and complaints.
Files contain considerable data on Jewish men in the Vilnius region, their profession, age, property, and social status. This information was collected for the National Guard and militia for recruitment purposes. There are statistical documents in file number 6, "Registration of property and houses in cities and towns". The occupying administration covered Kaunas (Kowno) and its district, determined the number of houses and male residents. Inspection officers left notes about female heirs of houses or land. Some of the inhabitants were described as heir, lessee, brother, son, son in law, brother-in-law, and widow. In some documents the profession of inhabitants is indicated. There are comments about the physical condition of residents (e.g. “cripple”, lame). In documents regarding residents of Janow, researchers can find accurate information on the quantity and type of buildings belonging to Jews (eg. tavern houses, houses for living, empty houses and outbuildings). Several men were listed as staying in hospital. Lists of residents and craftsmen in the towns Ashmiany (Oszmiany), and Ukmerge (Wilkomierz) provide information on inhabitants of certain streets, including their professions. For example, many Jewish shopkeepers, tailors, etc. lived on Remigolska Street. In the list of private lands listed in Vilnius Department there is information on the quantity of Jewish land. File number 15 "Complaints against sub-prefects, residents' petitions" from 1812 contains complaints, requests and other materials related to Jews in Tryskiai (Tryski).
- Archival history:
- The documents of the fonds were transferred from the Central State Archive of Old Acts of the USSR on 25 November 1988.
- Administrative/biographical history:
- The French invasion of Russia, known in Russia as the Patriotic War of 1812 and in France as the Russian campaign, began on 24 June 1812 when Napoleon's Grande Armée crossed the Neman River in an attempt to engage and defeat the Russian Army. The campaign ended after nearly six months on 14 December 1812, with the last French troops leaving Russian soil. The Temporary Administrative Commission Act of the Vilnius Department was an act from 1 July 1812 affecting Vilnius, Trakai, Ašmena (Ashmiany), Ukmergė (Vilkomir), Užneris (Svianciany), Breslauja, Kaunas, Upytė (Panevėžys), Raseiniai, Šiauliai and Telšiai districts. The temporary occupying authorities of the Napoleonic administration took care of order and security, organised the supply of food and medicine to the French army, and began recruiting (later volunteers) to replenish the French army. The administration was dissolved on 8 December 1812.
- Subject terms:
- Jewish soldiers
- Military
- Napoleonic wars
- Statistics
- Finding aids:
- There is an electronic archive catalogue.
- Yerusha Network member:
- Central Archives for the History of the Jewish People
- Author of the description:
- Maryia Sawicka; 2020