Metadata: Book of the Bill of Exchange Appeals in Bihar county 1842-1847
Collection
- Country:
- Hungary
- Holding institution:
- National Archives of Hungary, Hajdú-Bihar County Archives, Debrecen
- Holding institution (official language):
- Magyar Nemzeti Levéltár Hajdú-Bihar Megyei Levéltára, Debrecen
- Postal address:
- 4024 Debrecen, Vármegyeháza u. 1/B
- Phone number:
- +36 52 503 296
- Web address:
- https://mnl.gov.hu/hbml
- Email:
- hbml@mnl.gov.hu
- Reference number:
- IV.A.1.a
- Title:
- Book of the Bill of Exchange Appeals in Bihar county 1842-1847
- Title (official language):
- Bihar megye Óvókönyve 1842-1847
- Creator/accumulator:
- Bihar county
- Date(s):
- 1842/1847
- Language:
- Latin
- Hungarian
- Extent:
- 2 volumes
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Physical condition:
- good
- Scope and content:
-
The collection of ‘The Book of the Bill of Exchange Appeals in Bihar county 1842-1847’ is included in the extensive collection of the ‘Congregation Records (Protocolla congregationum generalium) 1688-1848(-1871)’.
The collection comprises a book of the bill of exchange appeals and its separate index book. The subsequent inclusion of IV.A.1.a in the collection is justified by the fact that its subject complements the content of the records from that period. However, due to the sources it contains, its placement among the documents of collection “b” would be reasonable. The book of the bill of exchange appeals includes the applications of complainants submitted in economic matters to the authorities in a relatively short period from 1842 to 1847. It describes the actors, object, place and date of each case in detail. The vast majority of cases describes debt settlement cases.
There are about 37 Jewish-related records in the book of the bill of exchange. Jewish citizens appear in loan transactions as both lenders and debtors. In most cases, the records discuss the economic activities and relations of men, e.g. crop and barter transactions by Salamon Schvartz from Váradolaszi with Oradea citizens (1841. No 1.). However, in some cases the records reveal women who played an active role in economic life, e.g. János Milics gave a loan to Rosalia Amiga (1843. No 22., 23.). The source value of the book of the bill of exchange appeals is increased by the contemporary description of the events and their extensive review. (Extensive review means descriptions of 1-2 pages, recording the copy of specific contracts). Moreover, it illustrates the economic relations both within Jewish society and with the larger society. The documents were written in Hungarian.
- Archival history:
-
The foundations of the Archives of Bihar County can be traced back to the 14th century when the conscious preservation of legal documents and property policy documents by sub-prefect and notaries began. Due to the low level of literacy and the fact that the county records were not maintained in a safe place, the notary took the materials and placed them in the county mailbox. Article LXXIII. 1723 regulated the development of archives, and the documents were transferred to the conservatory of the Oradea chapter in Bihar county in 1726. The old documents were placed here from 1729, and the new ones in the town hall building. In 1738, the county purchased a new building for archival purposes.
The principles of classifying and editing protocols in the initial period are unknown. Their planned binding became widespread in the 18th century. Maria Theresa, the ruler, issued an ordinance to systematise them in 1752. Yet the first arrangement of the archives took place only between 1772 and 1776, under the supervision of János Thurzó and then Benedek Bata. Lipót Viser continued the work in 1777. He developed a new selection principle: the separation of staff and equipment issues, administrative, judicial and economic documents. After 1829 Mihály Jakab applied a new method and developed 26 subject areas. After 1845, the organisers abolished the grouping of subjects.
From 1760, the records were placed in congregation shelves. In 1771 a new building was constructed for the archival documents. After the First World War, only a part of Bihar County remained within the borders of Hungary. Part of the Bihar County documents was transferred to Romania under the Treaty of Trianon, according to the territorial jurisdiction, which affected the documents from the feudal era to a lesser extent. The archival material remaining in Hungary was moved to the county hall in Berettyóújfalu. In 1950, according to the decree of the Ministry of the Interior, the source material was transferred to Debrecen, the archives of Hajdú county. Also as part of the new archival decree, the name of the archive became Hajdú-Bihar County Archives. In 1968, following the “state history” period, the documents came under the jurisdiction of the county. In the case of the Bihar county material this meant that they remained in Debrecen in the Hajdú-Bihar County Archives.
- Access points: locations:
- Bihar county
- Oradea
- Access points: persons/families:
- Amiga, Rosalia
- Svartz, Salamon
- Subject terms:
- Financial matters--Debt
- Legal matters
- Trade and commerce
- System of arrangement:
- Keeping the bill of exchange appeal books separately from administrative documents started in 1842. The related documents were copied into one volume. Their serial numbers were recorded at the sessions; therefore, numbering is not continuous.
- Finding aids:
- In collection IV.A.1.a, volume 263 provides references for names as well as the serial numbers of the case files. The index book is available in hard copy at the archive.
- Yerusha Network member:
- University of Szeged
- Author of the description:
- Dr. Tibor Almási and Dr. Erzsébet Mislovics, University of Szeged, 2020
