Archive of the Town of Sokolov

Collection

Holding institution:: State District Archives Sokolov located in Jindřichovice

Holding institution (official language):: Státní okresní archiv Sokolov se sídlem v Jindřichovicích

Scope and content:: The fonds contains documents of the self-government of the town of Sokolov until 1945. The inventory of documents and draft inventory of official books directly mention a record of people buried in the Sokolov cemetery, including the funerals of war refugees, soldiers, prisoners and Jews from 1943–59. The town chronicle from 1928–39 also contains a report of the burning of the synagogue on 10 November 1938, including photographs of the damage. Files from 1850–89 include information on the Jewish prayer house, an overview of Jewish property owners and information on keeping the Jewish registries. Documents from 1890–1918 primarily concern the construction of the synagogue. Records from 1931–45 include lists of members of the Jewish community (call no. 681/1), information on the Jewish cemetery (call nos. 741/2 and 741/3) and confiscation and allocation of Jewish property after 1938 (call nos. 500/5 and 830/A). Documents concerning Jews may also be found in the agendas of the population register, domicile right, tax administration, land books and other property matters.

Archival history:: The town archive in Loket took some documents of the town archive of Sokolov in 1951. The district archive of Sokolov was formally established on 1 January 1953, and populated in that year with charters, books, files and plans from the municipal national committee and district national committee of Sokolov. Minor acquisitions also came from various institutions in subsequent years. An inventory of the charters was created in 2010.

Administrative/biographical history:: The first record of Sokolov is from 1279. Town privileges were probably granted in the 14th century. After 1435 the town was owned by the Šliks and then by the Nostitzes. The town’s administration changed in 1791 (creation of the controlled town council), 1849 (interim municipal government, functioning from 1850), 1864 (local government based on the 1862 imperial local government act) and 1945, when local government was replaced by national committees.

Subject terms:: Burial; Cemeteries; Land registries; Photographs; Plunder; Pogroms; Pogroms--Kristallnacht; Real estate; Residency issues of Jews; Synagogues; Taxation; Vital records

System of arrangement:: The fonds is divided into charters, books, seal matrices, maps, plans and technical drawings, photographic material, registry finding aids and files. The charters are arranged chronologically and the official books into two sections (before and after 1850).

Finding aids:: Vlasák V., Archiv města Sokolov: listiny 1397-1841. Dílčí inventář 1, 2010, 95 s., ev. j. 109.