from Avotaynu, Vol. 4, No. 6 - April 13, 2003
Gary Mokotoff, Editor
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Fire destroyed major fonds (record groups) in a warehouse of the
Kamianets-Podilsky State/City Archives in Ukraine on Thursday, April 10.
The archives held the records of the area that comprised Podolia
guberniya during czarist times--an area with a large Jewish population
at the beginning of the 20th century.
Five of the most valuable fonds were severely damaged: f.226, Podolia
State Chamber (Kazennaia Palata) (1796-1919); f.228, Office of Governor
of Podolia (1795-1917); f. 112, Office for Peasant Affairs of Podolia
Guberniya (1861-1919); f. 678, Kamianets city office (1875-1920); f.
249, Office of Military Governor (1795-1845). These historical fonds
(about 100,000 files) cover the history of Podolia guberniya from the
end of the 18th century through the beginning of the 20th century. They
are believed to include
revision lists and some Jewish metrical records.
In addition to those documents that were completely destroyed, many
unique historical documents were water-damaged. Since the fire, hundreds
of people--local archivists, cadets, policeman, fireman, other municipal
personnel, students, and ordinary people--have been working around the
clock to save whatever is possible. So far, about two tons of archival
materials have been evacuated from the destroyed warehouse.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Fortunately, no one was
injured.
Miriam Weiner of Routes to Roots, whose ancestors came from Sudilkov,
told me, "What few documents survived the Holocaust for Sudilkov
were in this archive. I feel like a family member has died."
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According to reports of the Permanent Delegation of Ukraine to
UNESCO, hundreds of thousands of books, magazines and newspapers have
been heavily damaged by water when pipes of the heating system of the
Vernadsky National Library in Kiev broke in the night from 22 to 23
October.
Significant parts of the historical collections may be lost if no
immediate action is been taken, says the Director of the National
Library in a call for help addressed to UNESCO. The library is in urgent
need of international help in order to acquire preservation equipment,
he says.
UNESCO, which is presently examining the possibility to provide
assistance, is calling upon the international library community to
contact the National Library in Kiev to propose its assistance.
The library can be contacted at the following address
National Library of Ukraine
prosp. 40-richchia Zhotvtnia, 3
03039 Kiev
Ukraine
Tel: + (380 44) 265-81-04;
Fax: + (380 44) 264-33-98, 264-17-70, 265-56-02;
e-mail: nlu@csl.freenet.kiev.ua
* * *
URL for the National Library of Ukraine: http://www.nbuv.gov.ua
UNESCO = United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization
Link to Article: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/ev.php?URL_ID=6211&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201&reload=1036772942
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