Archival Funds Research Articles

Комитет великой княгини Елизаветы Фёдоровны в системе общественного призрения периода Первой мировой войны

The participation of the Russian Empire in the First World War necessitated the creation of a system of public care for the victims – soldiers' families, disabled soldiers, orphans. This task was solved by the Supreme Council for the care of families of conscripts. The executive structure of the Supreme Council was the Committee of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna for providing charitable assistance to the families of conscripts. The article highlights the organizational and financial foundations of the Elizabethan Committee, revealing its spatial structure and main activities. The study was carried out on the basis of materials from the archival fund of the Elizabethan Committee and its periodical. The organizational structure of the Elizabethan Committee included a central body, provincial branches and county commissions. The grassroots level consisted of charitable societies. Hierarchical relations between them were based on the principles of autonomy and subsidiarity. Local branches were headed by governors. The competence of the Elizabethan Committee initially covered the provision of additional assistance to soldiers' families to the state aid, later it included the provision of military invalids and orphans. The priority of labor assistance was declared. The main forms of support were assistance in carrying out agricultural work, establishment of nurseries, opening of orphanages. In the cities, the Elizabethan Committee organized workshops, canteens, and fuel sales. This work was carried out jointly with the local government and charitable organizations. The funds of the Elizabethan Committee were charitable donations and allocations of the Supreme Council. In the second half of 1916, the estimate of the Committee's work exceeded 7.5 million rubles. The conducted research allowed to come to the conclusion that the system of the Elizabethan Committee had a state-public character and can be considered as a precursor of specialized public administration bodies in the social sphere. At the same time, this made it possible to mobilize charitable resources to help the victims of the war.

Comparative legal analysis of certain aspects of state formation in the constitutions of the Ukrainian People’s Republic and the Far Eastern Ukrainian Republic (Green Wedge) and other documents

The events of the last eleven months brought to the fore the problems related to the establishment of Ukrainian statehood. The reason for this was the full-scale invasion of Russia on the territory of sovereign Ukraine on February 24, 2022.This unprecedented violation of international law became an additional incentive for an indepth study of the processes of Ukrainian state formation not only in Ukraine, but also outside its borders, primarily in the territories of the Russian Federation.The authors’ historical and legal analysis of historical and legal documents and archival funds proved that Ukrainians were marked by a desire for self-reliance and independence in any part of the world. This happened despite the fact that ethnic Ukrainians were forcibly evicted from their native land and actually had real prospects of assimilating among the indigenous peoples to whose land they were deported.In this article, the authors carry out a historical and legal study of individual stages of Ukrainian state formation in the Far East in the period 1917-1922. We are talking about the Far Eastern Ukrainian Republic (Green Wedge), a true independent Ukrainian state that existed de facto in the specified time period. It was a state entity that developed and adopted the Basic Law (Constitution of the National and Cultural Autonomy of Ukrainians in the Far East» (at the Second Session of the Ukrainian Far Eastern Regional Council on May 30, 1919).Applying the method of comparativism, the authors performed a comparative analysis of this Constitution and the Constitution of the Ukrainian People’s Republic. The study of the specified historical and legal documents showed close cooperation and national ties between mainland Ukraine and the Far Eastern Ukrainian Republic (Green Wedge). The article provides specific examples of the same understanding and interpretation by the leaders of the Green Wedge and the Ukrainian People’s Republic of the key provisions of state formation, the introduction and use of similar legal mechanisms to assert sovereignty and national identity.

Fair Trade in a Nomadic Society (in Kalmyk Steppe in Second Half of 19th — Early 20th Centuries)

The issues of organization and functioning of fair trade in a nomadic society are studied on the example of the Kalmyk steppe in the second half of the 19th — early 20th centuries. The source base was documentary materials from the funds of the State Archives of the Astrakhan Region and the National Archives of the Republic of Kalmykia, revealing the record keeping practice of the Kalmyk People’s Administration and ulus departments on the organization of fair events in the steppe. The author, based on the historical and geographical approach, focuses on the vastness of the land and the dominant nomadic type of management in the Kalmyk society. It has been established that fairs not only played an important role in satisfying the commodity needs of nomads, which was important in the absence of goods for manufacturing and industrial production and agriculture, but also were a way for nomads to communicate with each other and with representatives of the foreign administration. Despite the importance of fair trade among the nomadic people, the process of establishing and functioning of fairs was associated not only with natural and climatic conditions, but also with the unwillingness of the authorities of neighboring provinces to create competitors.

PERSONAL FUNDS IN THE STATE ARCHIVES OF THE SMOLENSK REGION AS A HISTORICAL AND INFORMATION RESOURCE ON THE HISTORY OF THE MOROZOV-IVANOV FAMILY

The article is devoted to personal funds in the state archives of the Smolensk region as a source of information for studying and searching for materials on the compilation of pedigrees, on the example of the Morozov-Ivanov family. The author, exploring the funds of personal storage, finds documentary evidence of family legends and legends. Based on the documents found, the author comes to the conclusion that archival funds are an invaluable source in the search for information of personal storage and compilation of pedigrees

ARCHIVAL FUND AS A HISTORICAL SOURCE

The author sees his task in showing the influence of V.N. Avtokratova about the archival fund on modern methods of research of mass sources The author concludes that acceptance by the scientific community of historians of thought V.N. Avtokratov that in the archival fund there are connections that have arisen in the process of documenting would undoubtedly accelerate the development of the huge documentary heritage of the past stored in our archives

THE CULTURE TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE KAMA REGION (1990S): REGIONAL ARCHIVES REVIEW

Cultural dynamics during periods of large-scale socio-political reforms differ in that during this period many traditional bureaucratic rules of documentation and archiving are poorly observed. Institutions are changed and eliminated, new problems arise that require prompt solutions, and informal communications are actively used. As a result, many important processes of the reform period in archival funds are presented fragmentarily, with gaps. The article provides an overview of regional archival funds related to the transformation of the cultural sphere in the Perm region in the late 1980s - early 1990s. An overview of a number of funds of the Perm State Archive of Socio-Political History, the State Archive of the Perm Region, and the Archive of city Perm, reflecting various aspects of sociocultural transformations, is given. It is concluded that the documents of organizations and departments form a representative basis for institutional changes analysis, recording new current topics and plots in the field of cultural policy. The second part of the article shows the information capabilities of “letters to power” deposited in regional archives.

Архивный фонд И-2 «Комиссия калмыцких дел» Национального архива Республики Калмыкия как источник по изучению организации делопроизводства и документооборота в Калмыкии в первой половине XIX в. (на примере рассмотрения проекта об оспопрививании в калмыцких улусах, разработанного инспектором Соломоном в 1832 г.)

Introduction. In pre-revolutionary Kalmykia in the first half of the 19th century the activities of the authorities to manage the Kalmyk people, as well as the procedure for organizing work with documents, were regulated by the “Rules for the management of the Kalmyk people” of March 10, 1825 and the “Regulations on the management of the Kalmyk people” of November 24, 1834. The work is devoted to the study of record keeping and document flow in the Commission of Kalmyk Affairs, which carried out the administrative management of the Kalmyk steppe of the Astrakhan province, to identify common features with the all-Russian order of organizing work with documents and features in Kalmyk paperwork. Materials and methods. The research is based on the study of documents from the archive fund I-2 “Commission of Kalmyk Affairs” of the National Archive of the Republic of Kalmykia. In the process of studying this fund, historical research methods were used, which made it possible to identify, analyze, introduce new archival data into scientific circulation and establish their value as a historical source. Analysis. The study of the composition and content of documents created during the activities of the Commission of Kalmyk Affairs (1825–1836) made it possible to specify the procedure for organizing work with them. Using the example of the adoption of the “Regulations on smallpox vaccination in the Kalmyk uluses” (1839), developed by inspector Solomon, the author examined the procedure for considering and adopting a regulatory document. Results. The study revealed that archival documents created during the period of activity of the Commission of Kalmyk Affairs are unique written sources of the organization of office work and document flow in pre-revolutionary Kalmykia. These studies can become a source for further development of the topic of the state structure of Kalmykia, the relationship with the central authorities, the formation and development of the healthcare system in one of the national outskirts of pre-revolutionary Russia.

РОССИЙСКИЕ ГРАЖДАНСКИЕ ПЛЕННЫЕ В ГЕРМАНИИ (1914-1918): РЕПРЕЗЕНТАТИВНОСТЬ ДОКУМЕНТОВ ЗЕМЕЛЬНОГО АРХИВА САКСОНИИ

The article considers the informative value of the documents in the Saxon Main State Archive (Dresden, Germany) about persecution and restrictions during the First World War against the “enemy aliens”, subjects of the Russian Empire. The main idea in the documents of the archive funds is the rationale for the need of civilian captivity to ensure national security. The archive funds contain information about how the persecution of “enemy aliens” began in Germany, reveal the specifics in the situation with such categories of civilian captives as the interned and confined ones. The documents illustrate the position that the policy of internment is a mirror policy. It depends on the decisions of the government of the Russian Empire in regard to German subjects, who were deported and interned on the territory of Russia. There is an important information is contained on possible ways of humanitarian support for Russian civilian prisoners. The analysis of documents confirms that the least studied segment of the phenomenon of civilian captivity during the First World War is their repatriation

ЛИЧНЫЕ АРХИВНЫЕ ФОНДЫ СОТРУДНИКОВ АГКМ

The article highlights the issues of formation and storage of archival funds in the museum of local lore. The article gives a brief description of the personal archive funds of the employees of Altai State Museum of Local Lore - Konstantin Pavlovich Peretolchin, Porfiry Alekseevich Kazansky, Tatyana Ivanovna Anisimova, Nikolai Yakovlevich Savelyev, Timofey Afanasyevich Polukhin, Nikolai Georgievich Eroshkevich. The conclusions noted that the documents included in the personal archival funds of the museum staff are an incomplete list of museum items that reveal them as a person and a museum worker. The museum funds contain individual documents and photographs related to the activities of the employees of the local history museum.

МАТЕРИАЛЫ АРХИВНЫХ ФОНДОВ О ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ ВСЕРОССИЙСКОГО ОБЩЕСТВА ОХРАНЫ ПАМЯТНИКОВ ИСТОРИИ И КУЛЬТУРЫ. 1965–1980-Е ГОДЫ

The article presents a review of Russian archival funds related to the protection of historical and cultural heritage and the activities of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments (hereinafter VOOPIK, or the Society). The study is based on materials from various state organizations, including the State Ar-chive of the Russian Federation (GARF), the Perm State Archive of Socio-Political History (PermGASPI), the State Archive of the Perm Krai (GAPK), the Center for Documentation of Public Organizations of the Sverdlovsk Oblast (CDOOSO), the United State Archive of the Chelyabinsk Oblast (OGACHO), and the Perm Museum of Local Lore (PKM). The relevance of the study lies in the growing interest of the state, academia and society in both grassroots activism and mass voluntary organizations in the late Soviet Union. The Soviet experience is particularly valuable as many of its initiatives are being revisited in contemporary Russian reality. The main basis for Soviet studies are ar-chival sources, which are regularly introduced into academic circulation. The aim of the article is to study and classi-fy archival sources on the above topic. In addition to the review, the article provides a brief historiographical over-view of the problem's research status, as well as a historical note on the activities of the VOOPIK. The author identi-fies several types of sources in archival funds and provides a brief description of each. An important role in studying the activity of Soviet mass organizations is played by the determination of the levels of research – from the republi-can (RSFSR) to regional (oblast, krai, ASSR) and grassroots (district, city) levels. This division justifies the use of both central and regional archives, as the archival sources from Central Archive (GARF) provide an understanding of the specifics of the functioning of the central apparatus of the VOOPIK, while the sources of regional archives recre-ate a picture of activism on “grassroots level” where the main productive activities of the Society took place. When using archives of different levels, one can change the optics of research and study VOOPIK from different angles. The study pays particular attention to the “Letters to VOOPIK” written by Soviet citizens to authorities, media, and voluntary organizations regarding the protection of historical and cultural heritage. These letters, which were a com-mon practice in Soviet everyday life, can shed light on the motives and goals of the activists.

Благотворительная помощь пострадавшим в ходе Первой мировой войны: примеры общественно-государственного сотрудничества

Introduction. In the context of Russia’s frequent involvement in military conflicts, the authorities naturally needed any help, both within the ongoing hostilities and in overcoming their consequences, and therefore not only did not refuse public charitable assistance in this area, but also encouraged and cofinanced it in every possible way. Materials and methods. The approach chosen in this work is focused on the methodological thesis proposed by the famous researcher of the history of domestic charity G. N. Ulyanova about the need to consider the term “charity” rather conditional in relation to the activities of public organizations during the First World War due to the observed symbiosis of “authority and society in the sphere of providing assistance.” Which forced us to pay special attention to the structuralfunctional method of research in following the principles of historicism, a social approach to the study of history, objectivity and a comprehensive study of the problem. The sources involved in the analysis were documents from archival funds and previously unstudied regulatory and information-statistical materials on the problems and history of the activities of the state and society in the field of organizing and providing assistance to war victims. Analysis. The article examines the actions of the authorities, which complemented their efforts to help those affected by the war by attracting private assistance. With the outbreak of the war, members of the imperial family initiated and took part in the work of semi-state and semi-public charitable organizations. The state contribution was determined by financing, while the public contribution – by the voluntary participation of private individuals. The coordinating body was the Supreme Council for Charity of the Families of Persons Called up to the War, as well as the Families of Wounded and Fallen Soldiers, headed by Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. At the regional level, Committees were established to assist soldiers affected by the war. Results. The study concluded that the establishment of “private law” societies specializing in charitable assistance became the most common type of practice in the field of public charitable initiatives during the period under study. Organizing the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers in special shelters and returning them to work through training and introducing them to professions adequate to their capabilities, as well as organizing their employment, constituted a significant segment of public charitable assistance to war victims.

INFORMATION POTENTIAL OF ARCHIVAL MATERIALS OF THE 17TH-18TH CENTURIES: POSSIBILITIES FOR STUDYING TAX POLICY IN RELATION TO THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION OF PRIKAMYE

The article examines materials from central and local archival institutions in Russia, which contain information about the indigenous population of Prikamye in the 17th-18th centuries. The study of the socio-economic history of the inhabitants of Prikamye, tax policy in relation to the Russian and indigenous population involves the use of reports from local and central institutions (mandatory huts, voivodeship and provincial offices, the Senate and others). Source research gaps associated with the loss of part of the documents (the order of the Kazan Palace or the Board of Revenues) are compensated by turning to other funds of the Russian archives. Directions for archival search for information related to the state tax policy towards the indigenous population of Prikamye are proposed.

Organization of the rural electrification process in Ukraine during the Post-war period (second half of the 1940s – first half of the 1960s)

The article is devoted to the analysis of the characteristic features and peculiarities of the organization and implementation of rural electrification in Ukraine during the first post-war twenty years (1945-1965). The author considered the post-war Soviet government regulations on the development of rural electrification. The authorities envisioned the use of electricity primarily in production processes, betting on the use of renewable energy sources and/or local, cheap fuels. This process took place under the conditions of the administrative-command system, it was authorized and directed centrally, in a directive way at the highest state level. Three periods of implementation of this process are defined: - the second half of the 1940s – the beginning of post-war electrification in combination with the reconstruction of the most necessary production and infrastructure facilities; - the 1950s – active construction of autonomous power plants and creation of local power grids in rural areas; - the first half of the 1960s – complete electrification of villages with centralized connection to a single state power grid. The supply of equipment, installation, repair, supervision, and maintenance of rural power plants was carried out by the regional offices of the Republican Test (later the Main Directorate) of Rural Electrification ("Ukrsilelektro"/"Ukrgolovsilelektro"). However, its effectiveness remained quite low, and the quality of the work performed caused numerous complaints. Electrification cost considerable money, took place unevenly, and depended on many local conditions (the presence of nearby rivers, fuel deposits, industrial facilities, transport connections, etc.). The research is based on materials from the funds of the Central State Archives of Supreme Bodies of Power and Government of Ukraine and the Central State Archives of Public Associations and Ukrainians.

История создания и деятельности Новгородской ассоциации пролетарских писателей: вопросы и ответы

The history of the creation and activity of the Novgorod Association of Proletarian Writers (NAPW) is presented. Various sources were taken as the basis for characterizing the activities of the NAPW: firstly, documents from the State Archives of Novgorod Region and secondly, the journal “Litye”, published from 1927 to 1930 as an organ of the NAPW. For the first time, information about 15 active members of the NAPW, noted for their publications in Novgorod periodicals, is given. Some research questions remain unanswered and need to be worked out using the funds of other archives. Attention is drawn to the lack of documents that would confirm the legal status and membership of the participants of this literary association from the very beginning of its existence. At this time, no documents on the reorganization or infusion of NAPW into LAPW after 1927 in connection with the entry of the Novgorod province into the Leningrad region have been found. Related to this is the problem of determining the time frame for the existence of NAPW.

СОЗДАНИЕ БАЗЫ ДАННЫХ РЕПОЗИТОРИЯ АРХИВНЫХ ДОКУМЕНТОВ ПО ПРОБЛЕМАМ ПРЕОДОЛЕНИЯ ПОСЛЕДСТВИЙ РАДИАЦИОННОЙ АВАРИИ НА ХИМКОМБИНАТЕ "МАЯК" В 1957 Г.

The article presents the results of the exploratory study of the documents connected with the issues of overcoming the consequences of the 1957 radiation accident at the “Mayak” Production Association and the discharge of the radioactive waste into the Techa River from 1949 to 1956, these records are kept in the funds of the State Archives of the Ural region. The objective of the research is to analyze the specific measures taken to form and develop a radiation safety system in the Ural region. The paper describes the structure of the created repository database containing the related documents of the executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and the CPSU bodies (of the Kurgan, Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions). Based on the electronic copies of the selected documents, a database of the repository of those documents was formed. The search and selection of the records for the preparation of electronic versions was carried out according to the criteria of the document’s connection to the activities and elimination of the consequences of the accident at the “Mayak” PA and / or to the assessment of the socio-economic situation in the Kurgan, Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions. The created database of the document repository can be used to assess the effectiveness of the management decisions aimed at overcoming the consequences of radiation accidents.

Activities of the Republican Trust «Ukrsilprombud» in Sumy Region during Post-war time (1947–1954)

The article is devoted to analyzing the characteristic features and peculiarities of the organization and functioning of the “Ukrsilprombud” trust, as well as its role in the recovery and development of the economy and infrastructure in Sumy region in the post-war period. The Republican Construction and Assembly Trust “Ukrsilprombud” existed during 1947-1954 and was an economic unit subordinated to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Ukrainian SSR. The trust specialized in constructing machine-tractor stations, machine-tractor workshops and other objects that were supposed to ensure the mechanization of agriculture. The research highlights the formation and development of the organizational structure of the trust. The regional division of “Ukrsilprombud” – the Sumy Regional Construction and Installation Office – operated in Sumy oblast. The level of financing of this enterprise and the state of its provision of building materials and qualified personnel are characterized. It was revealed that a lagging pace, non-fulfilment of plans, violation of the order and unevenness of work in the districts of Sumy region characterized the trust’s participation in reconstruction. The leading cause of these phenomena was the ineffectiveness of the system of organizing the process at both the state and regional levels, manifested by insufficient funding, a lack of construction materials, a shortage and low qualification of workers. Sometimes the negative impact on the productivity of construction organizations was caused by a subjective factor – negligence and corruption on the part of managers. The research is based on materials from the funds of the Central State Archives of Supreme Bodies of Power and Government of Ukraine and the State Archive of Sumy Region, as well as information from the local press issued in the late 1940s – early 1950s.

Н. К. Гудзий в Государственной Академии Художественных Наук: к истории сотрудничества. Часть 1: 7 мая 1923 года — 28 мая 1924 года

The publication, based on the data from the archival fund of the State Academy of Art Sciences (RGALI) and the personal archive of N. K. Gudzij (Department of Manuscripts, Russian State Library), traces the history of the work of a literary historian, textual critic, professor at a legendary academic institution with a rich and tragic history, and introduces unpublished texts of the scholar’s reports, as well as the feedback of his colleagues provided during the debates. The texts and documents reflect the various forms of Gudzij’s involvement in the work of GAKHN and the problem-thematic diversity of his speeches and studies, produced as a part of his work at the Academy (1922–1929).

АРХИВЫ, МУЗЕИ, БИБЛИОТЕКИ КАК СОКРОВИЩНИЦА ДОКУМЕНТАЛЬНОЙ ПАМЯТИ БЕЛОРУССКОГО НАРОДА

The article considers the process of accumulation, recording, keeping and use of the documentary monuments created on the Belarusian land, from ancient times to the present. It is noted that the regulatory and legal framework that existed in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the form of the “archival articles” of statutes, the Sejm resolutions and constitutions contributed to the preservation of documents, primarily of a legal nature. The magnates and gentry of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania took care of their family archives, inviting specialists who were experts in archives to organize them. With the inclusion of the Belarusian lands into the Russian Empire, the local administration was initially indifferent to the preservation of the archives of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, using them only as a means to fight political and ideological opponents. That was particularly evident in the case of the Vilna Museum of Antiquities with the attached Archaeological Commission – the museum suffered detriment as the administration considered its activities to be “polonophile”. One of the reasons for the closure of the museum and the commission in 1864 was the publication of the collections of documents that did not fit into the official historiographical paradigm. On the basis of the museum, the Vilna Public Library, loyal to the administration, was created with the Manuscripts Department, which began to be completed with the documents and materials found both on the territory of the Lithuanian and mainly Belarusian provinces, and it caused an outflow of documentary monuments from the places of their origin. The Vitebsk Scientific Archival Commission, founded in 1909, played a positive role in the collection and preservation of the documentary monuments in the region; the Commission contributed to the formation of the archives, museum and the library, which, after 1917, acquired the status of the institutions of a provincial level. With the creation in 1922 of the archival service of the republic, the formation of a network of state archives, libraries and museums, the issue of distributing archival documents and materials between them acquires particular urgency. It was discussed at the Second Meeting of Archival Workers of Belarus in December 1927, and also at the meeting of the representatives of archival, museum and library institutions in December 1929. Belarusian archivists D.I. Dovgiallo, M.V. Meleshko and others took part in the discussions on the interaction of archives, museums and libraries in collecting and keeping the archival materials. Currently, the republican museums and libraries keep about 10% of the National Archival Funds of Belarus. On April 18, 2022, the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the Amendments to the Law ‘On Archives and Records Management in the Republic of Belarus’” was adopted, according to which the right to permanently keep the documents of the state part of the National Archival Funds of the Republic of Belarus was only granted to the state archives, while previously, along with archives, museums and libraries had the right to keep such documents. In the context of the “digital revolution” taking place in the world, the issue of interaction between archival, museum and library institutions in the preservation and use of documents and materials is of particular relevance

ИСТОЧНИКОВЫЕ ВОЗМОЖНОСТИ ДОКУМЕНТОВ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОГО НАУЧНО-ИССЛЕДОВАТЕЛЬСКОГО И ПРОЕКТНОГО ИНСТИТУТА ПО ГРАДОСТРОИТЕЛЬСТВУ (ЦНИИПГРАДОСТРОИТЕЛЬСТВА) – ВЕДУЩЕЙ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ ПО ГРАДОСТРОИТЕЛЬСТВУ В СССР В 1960-1980 ГГ.

The article contains an analysis of documents from the archival fund of the Central Scientific Research and Design Institute for Urban Planning, stored in the Russian State Archive in Samara. The institute was created in 1963 as a result of the merger of the Gorstroyproekt trust and the Scientific Research Institute of Urban and District Planning, which has been involved in urban planning since the 1930s. Until the 1980s, the institute was a leading organization carrying out research and design work in the field of urban planning; its research team developed methodological and normative literature, compiled textbooks and course programs for construction universities, and also worked on the civil engineering projects in the USSR and abroad. The archival fund of the Institute is representative and allows us to trace the main stages of the formation of the construction industry in the Soviet Union. The design of civil engineering facilities was carried out in close connection with the industrial capacities of a certain area, which makes it possible to determine the main elements of the socio-cultural space and infrastructure of Soviet industrial enterprises.

АРХИВНАЯ ИНФОРМАЦИОННАЯ СРЕДА В ВОЗЗРЕНИЯХ В.Н. АВТОКРАТОВА (1922-1992)

The article is about the 100th anniversary of V.N. Avtokratov (1922–1992), a prominent theorist in the field of history and archival studies. The paper reveals his views on the issue of retaining the integrity for the “archival information environment”, set forth in the monograph “Theoretical Issues of National Archival Studies” – the work that was published after his death. Researching the level of the archival information environment and also of the funding according to the principles of historical or formally logical classification, V.N. Avtokratov investigated stages in the archival studies development within the context of the scientific knowledge theory. The article touches upon discussions on the issue within the scholarly community. The analysis of V.N. Avtokratov’s theoretical provisions on the historical principle of classification in archival studies as a determining condition for ensuring the scientific use of the information resource of the Archival Fund of the Russian Federation is correlated with the scientific knowledge theory of the great Russian thinker N.Yа. Danilevsky (1822–1885). Noting the high theoretical level of V.N. Avtokratov’s creative heritage, the author draws attention to the relevance and importance of the methodological approaches by V.N. Avtokratov with regard to the development of the theory and practice of archival science in today’s changed conditions