Metadata: Administrative Documents
Collection
- Country:
- Romania
- Holding institution:
- National Archives of Romania, Cluj State Archives, Cluj
- Holding institution (official language):
- Arhivele Nationale ale Romaniei, Direcția Județeană a Arhivelor Naționale Cluj
- Postal address:
- Cluj-Napoca, Str. Mihail Kogălniceanu nr. 10, cod 400084, jud. Cluj
- Phone number:
- (40) 64 598 979
- Web address:
- http://www.arhivelenationale-cluj.ro
- Email:
- cluj@arhivelenationale.ro
- Reference number:
- III.1.
- Title:
- Administrative Documents
- Title (official language):
- Acte administrative
- Creator/accumulator:
- Szatmár county
- Date(s):
- 1610/1849
- Language:
- Latin
- Hungarian
- German
- Extent:
- 65.42 linear metres (468 boxes)
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Physical condition:
- good
- Scope and content:
-
The name of the collection 'Acta publico-politica' was changed to ‘Kormányi köztárgyak (Government Public Issues)’ from 1831 when the documents were created. The collection is maintained at the State Archives of Kolozsvár (Cluj) (Arhivele Statului Cluj). The archival name of the collection is ‘Acte administrative’. It is the first part of the extensive collection 'Acte administrative 1610-1849' (Heading III).
The collection contains administrative documents of Szatmár (Satu Mare) County from 1610 to 1849. The collection also includes abstracts of the cases discussed at the congregations of the nobility. As a result of the archival classification, this collection of the same name within the group of Public Administration documents presents a very wide range of material: administrative documents, records of general congregation issues, accounts, testimonies, transcripts, military regulations, tithe-related documents and censuses can be found there. The subjects of the documents of general and partial congregations include contracts, promissory notes, debt securities, decisions about debts and collections, bankruptcy proceedings, cases of trespassing, lawsuits of landlords and tenants of farming leases, service obligations imposed on peasants, issues of insurrection, conscriptions of tenants, surveys of estates, provisions and equipment for noble insurgents, appointment of officials, recruitment, enlisting of new soldiers, promotion ofhandicraft industry, regulations and rules regarding guilds and religious affairs. The documents were written in mostly Hungarian, but some of them are in Latin and German.
The collection contains a considerable amount of Jewish-related material, about 1500 files. This number is far fewer than the number of entries in the records of the general congregations. The reason for this is that the material is shared between the different collections (II and other sub-collections of series III). However, in the index books, the descriptions of persons, circulars and villains are often only indicated with the document's symbol, but the list of names is not available. This would greatly add to the considerable amount of documents (but this can only be done by reviewing the records individually). The document collection is incomplete.
The first document concerning Jews is from 1673 and regulated the leather trade of Jews (1673 Fas. 19. No 53.). In terms of the nature of the records relating to Jews, they include petitions, appeals, complaints, documents, dispositions, and testimonies. Its material diversity covers all aspects of everyday life: information on migration, petitions for settlement, warrants for escapees, search for foreign escapees, farming leases contracted with landlords and lawsuits related to them, contracts, debt certificates, business relationships with the members of the local community and also with the county, commercial activities (peddling, small and wholesale trading), handicraft trade, cowhide purchase, conflicts with guilds, schedules for debt payment or collection, crimes where victims could also be the perpetrators, horse theft, murders, use of fake money, taxation imposed on Jewish citizens, rate of tolerance tax, the volume and recovery of arrears, obligation for the recruitment of soldiers, issues of inheritance, religious affairs, community cases and issues of conversion, litigation with the Greek Catholic bishop.
A significant part of the source material consists of documents relating to individuals. The life and economic activity of a resident of the county can be traced over several years: the economic activity of Aron Roz is dominant in the field of credit and trade between 1798-1821: e.g. 1798 Fasc. 72. No. 169.; 1809 Fasc. 83. No. 78.; 1810 Fasc. 84. No. 329.; 1811 Fasc. 85. No. 14.; 1821 Fasc. 95. No. 10.
In addition, the number of sources relating to the community of Nagykároly living under the jurisdiction of Count Károlyi is considerable. Community’s cases were: market and trade: 1792 Fasc. 66. No. 199.; school: 1801 Fasc. 75. 116.; 1804 Fasc. 78. No. 150.; earthquake in 1834: 1835 Fasc. 109. No. 113.; tailor’s guild: 1829 Fasc. 103. No. 65. The group of documents dealing with mining towns forms a separate group. In Hungary, Jews were not allowed to settle within seven miles of mining towns. In Szatmár (Satu Mare) County, the population of the town of Nagybánya and the village of Misztótmogyorós strongly opposed the settlement of Jews. Nevertheless, during the period, not only were economic ties forged between Jewish and non-Jewish members of society but there were also attempts at settlement: Nagybánya :1796 Fasc. 70. No. 222.; 1802. Fasc. 76. No. 86.; 1829 Fasc. 103. No. 30.; Misztótmogyorós: 1823 Fasc. 97. No. 122.; 1828 Fasc. 102. No. 20.
The source material mainly includes material on males. Both national and county residents' cases appear in the documents. The geographical coverage of the sources is very wide: in addition to national cases, there are cases from several county municipalities: e.g. Nagykároly, Nagykálló, Csenger, Misztótmogyorós, Medgyes, Erdőd, Sályi, Királydarócz, Szamosszeg, Mátészalka, Dobrácsapáti.
- Archival history:
-
The document collection of Szatmár County is based on documents preserved by county officials as no archives had been established before the 16th century. Therefore, initially mostly congregation records were collected in Szatmár County. The categorisation of the collected materials started under the rule of Maria Theresa. The documents were also classified into subject groups at that time. The archives were established in Nagykároly and the documents collected previously were also held there. The emergence of the new borders after World War I resulted in the division of the archived documents and also the relocation of the archives. Part of the material remained in Hungary, whereas the other part was taken to Romania. Documents of the congregation of nobilities were also divided regardless of their timespan.
In Romania, the archival material was first transferred to Nagykároly (Carei) and then to the new county seat of Szatmárnémeti (Satu Mare). In 1940 the documents were placed in the collection of the Kolozsvár (Cluj) State Archives. In the same year, the archival collections were evacuated to Nagyszeben (Sibiu), and a small part of them was transferred to Torda. The documentary material was not spared the ravages of war. After the war, the collections were returned to Kolozsvár. In the case of records from the feudal period, the division of the material between the archives of Nyíregyháza (Hungary) and Cluj (Direcția Județeană a Arhivelor Naționale Cluj) (Romania) poses a practical difficulty for research.
The collection of 'Administrative Documents’ contains the cases discussed at the general congregations, primarily until 1724. The collection of the 'General Congregation Documents' was separated in a subsequent sorting of the unified collection for specific years (heading II.). In addition, sub-series were developed within the series. The initial grouping of the material can be traced back to Ferenc Schemberger, whose activity can be seen in the organisation of the documents between 1724 and 1781. The administrative reform of Joseph II prevented Schemberger from continuing his work. With the introduction of administrative handbooks, the reform also introduced a new way of managing documents. After 1790, the principle of the system used under Ferenc Schemberger was re-introduced. Consequently, the 63rd fasciculus in 1786 was followed by the 64th fasciculus in 1790.
- Access points: locations:
- Nagykároly
- System of arrangement:
-
The administrative files were sorted in various method depending on the time period:
Between 1610 and 1677, the documents were classified and numbered in fasciculi (fasc. 2-23).
Between 1678 and 1723, no fasciculi or serial numbers were added to the documents, as Ferenc Schemberger had only begun to prepare the work but was unable to complete it. The judicial documents were sorted out of this series.
Between 1724 and 1781, the administrative documents were numbered under each fasciculus. The general congregation documents under fasciculi 6, 8, 10, 16, 18, 22, 28 have been sorted out and can be found in Series II. The general congregation documents under fasciculus 5, 13, 14 are part of this series.
Between 1782 and 1786, the yearly numbering of the fasciculi followed the Schemberger method, but in this year cycle the continuous numbering of the documents went backwards from 1786, i.e., the serial number of files below the higher fasciculus was lower than the serial number of files below the lower fasciculus.
Between 1786 and 1790, due to the administrative reform under Joseph II, the language of documents was German, and their treatment was facilitated by printed administrative handbooks. The documents were grouped according to their subject. The number of fasciculi was also recorded in the Gestions Protocoll and in the index books.
Between 1790 and 1849, the numbers of fasciculi returned to the pre-1786 method from 1790 onwards. Thus, in 1790, the documents were placed in fasciculus 64, and within that fasciculus, they were numbered in ascending order.
- Finding aids:
-
Index books are available for the collection. However, the Elenchus series is incomplete. The years 1799, 1822, 1825, 1826 and 1827 are missing. While a summary volume exists for the years 1791-1800, no such volume exists for the years 1821-1849. From this period, the Elenchuses publish yearly indications of the relevant documents. Therefore, research in the missing year cycles is only possible by searching the boxes.
The handbook entitled Szatmár (Satu Mare) County Archives Fondul ”Prefectura Judeţului Satu Mare”, 1402–1919, by András Kiss, Lucia-Augusta Serdan and Ágota Henzsel (Cluj-Napoca-Nyíregyháza, 2000) precisely identifies the archival location of the material. Since then, however, the documents have been repackaged and reorganised. Therefore the heading numbers have also changed.
The handbooks varied per year cycle due to the classification method of the administrative material. In addition, the availability of the handbooks was also divided between the two archives (Nyíregyháza and Kolozsvár (Cluj)).
For the period between 1610-1677, the handbook can be found in the archives of Nyíregyháza. Elenchus cronologicus publico-politicorum actorum (volume 259).
For the period from 1678 to 1723 the documents themselves need to be consulted; the catalogue of the archives in Kolozsvár may be of help.
For 1724-1781 handbooks can be found in Nyíregyháza and Kolozsvár (Cluj): Nyíregyháza: Elenchus nominalis seu statisticus I-II. (267-268. volumes)., Index elenchorum Francisci Schemberger publico politicorum (volume 269); Cluj: Elenchus nominalis seu statisticus I-II. (D.a. 2/1-2).
For the years 1782 to 1786 the handbooks are available in the Kolozsvár archive. Elenchus actorum publico-politicorum ab anno 1702-1786 Fasc. 59-63. (D.a. 2/3), Index seu repertorium actorum anni 1782. Fasc. 59., 1783-1784. Fasc. 60., 61. (D.a.2/4.), 1785-1786. Fasc. 62., 63. (D.a. 2/5).
For 1786-1790 the handbooks are available in the Kolozsvár archive. Liber completens acta regestrata. Repertorium isthoc initium capi a No. protocollari 1. topographico anni 1786 mensis Augusti, terminatur No. ejusdem anni mensis Decembris topographici 1865. A-Z. (D.a.2/6), Haupt-Index über die in Monathen Maii- December anni 1787 in Löbl. Szatthmarer Comitat vorgefellen Aktenstücke nach dem wahren und eigentlichen Schlagwort verfasset. A-Z. (D.a. 2/7), Index nominum partium 1787. (D.a. 2/8), Index nominum partium. 1788 (D.a. 2/8), Repertorium anni 1788. Hauptindex über alle am des Szatthmarer Comitat gelangten Akten und bei selbem verhandelten Geschäfte (D.a.2/10), Hauptindex über an des Komitat gelangten Akten, und bei selben verhandelten Geschäfte (D.a. 2/11), Index nominum partium 1789. A-Z. (D.a. 2/12).
For the years 1790 to 1849 the handbooks are available in the Kolozsvár archive. Elenchus alphabeticus actorum publico-politicorum/Elenchus nominali alphabeticus actorum publico-politicorum, from 1831: Betűrendes lajstroma az ... évi kormányi köztárgyaknak (D.a. 3/3-71).
- Yerusha Network member:
- University of Szeged
- Author of the description:
- Dr. Tibor Almási, Dr. Erzsébet Mislovics, University of Szeged, 2019