Police station Brad

Collection

Holding institution:: National Archives of Romania, Hunedoara county directorate

Holding institution (official language):: Serviciul judeţean Hunedoara al Arhivelor Naţionale Române

Scope and content:: The fonds comprises the files of the police station of Brad from 1924 to 1951. It includes orders of superior police authorities, official correspondence with state institutions and private citizens, reports and informations about the economic and social situation in the town of Brad and the surrounding area, the state of mind of the local population especially during and immediately after the Second World War, activities of different organisations and political parties, and supervision of cultural events. It also contains statistics of the police staff, civil servants, pay rolls for policemen and informers and expenses for official missions. The following files include Jewish references: No. 2/1924 - Antisemitic propaganda; No. 20/1941 - Antisemitic student movements; No. 24/1941 - Jewish population of the Brad area; No. 7/1942 - “Romanisation” of Jewish properties; No. 6/1943 - Jews suspected of espionage; No. 24/1943 - Evacuation of Jews; No. 21/1945 - Jewish refugees; No. 5/1947 - Zionist organisations.

Archival history:: The fonds was in the custody of the Popular Militia of Brad, being transferred to the Hunedoara county directorate of the Romanian National Archives after 1989, where it was inventoried and made available to researchers.

Administrative/biographical history:: The police station of Brad began its activity in 1926 in the framework of the Romanian administration after the First World War and in accordance with the law for General State Police on the territory of all Romania issued on 12 July 1929. Its main responsibilities were to ensure public order and security and to supervise the state of mind of the local population and the activities of political parties and organisations, in particular illegal Communist organisations and the legionary movement. During the Second World War the police was involved in the implementation of the antisemitic policy of the Antonescu dictatorship, especially regarding Jewish properties and forced labour. After 1945 police activity continued in the interwar framework, focusing amongst others on Zionist activities, until 1949 when the new Communist regime replaced the police with the so-called Popular Militia which functioned until 1989.

Subject terms:: Antisemitism; Antisemitism--Antisemitic propaganda; Law enforcement; Law enforcement--Police; Plunder; Refugees; Resettlement of Jews; Zionism

System of arrangement:: The fonds is organised in thematic files, within which the registers and records are arranged in chronological order.

Finding aids:: Inventory no. 119, held by the Hunedoara county directorate of the Romanian National Archives.

Yerusha Network member:: Romanian Institute for the Research of National Minorities

Author of the description:: Attila Gidó, researcher, Institute for Study of National Minorities Cluj-Napoca - 2019; Ladislau Gyémánt, emeritus professor - 2019