Из истории научно-издательской деятельности Государственного архива Иркутской области

Abstract

The article follows history of formation and development of scientific publishing in the State Archive of the Irkutsk Region over almost a century. Having analyzed the available documentary and historiographic sources, the authors conclude that publishing in the archive began in mid-1920s, initiated by its first directors, most of whom were professional historians directly connected with the Irkutsk State University. The 1920s–1930s publications of the archive were devoted to study and promotion of the history of the Bolshevik party and revolutions of 1905 and 1917. In late 1930s the archives were subordinated to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, becoming a part of state machinery that served interests of the ruling party. In early 1960s the situation changed, as the archives were transferred under the government agencies’ management; their research and publishing activities grew more scientific. At that period the archive published anthologies, which contained materials not only of the Bolshevik party, but also of the Social Revolutionaries, anarchist, and monarchist organizations that flourish in early 20th century Siberia. The archive’s publishing was on the increase, the number and quality of its publication grew, interactions between archival workers and professional historians of the region strengthened. In late 1980s scientific work of the archive rose to new level; several anthologies were published that comprehensively encapsulated the history of government and public institutions in the region throughout Soviet and post-Soviet period. Publication of documents collections series ‘Siberian Archive’ became a milestone in the work of the archive. Over the last 10 years the archive has published more actively than ever: materials from personal fonds, documents on participation of the Irkutsk region inhabitants in the World Wars I and II, memoirs on contemporary history. The article concludes that scientific and publishing work of the archive has always met the demands of the time; the archive has accumulated a huge experience which allows to continue its large-scale scientific projects.