Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1799-1877; filmed 2000-2010 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
33 rolls of microfilm : 16 mm
6 CD ROM disks
6 DVD disks
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Repository
Archival history
In 1 June 1918, the Russian Government issued a decree "About Concentration and Centralization of Archives" which resulted in a state system of archival institutions being established. The most valuable records were declared as state property. The Odessa Historical Archives was established in 1920 and the records of the Guardianship Committee were placed there in 1922 as Fund #6. (Most likely the records were with the City of Odessa administration from 1871-1922.) From 1922-1940 the files were arranged chronologically, file descriptions created and a series of inventory lists prepared. By 1940 there were 5 research guides (referred to as "Inventories." During the German-Romanian occupation of the Second World War, many files disappeared. After the war, four additional "inventories" were created and existing lists updated. English and German translations of the Russia file lists begun in the 1990s. Mennonite related materials were selected for a cooperative microfilming venture between North American Mennonite archives and the Odessa Region State Archive starting in 1998, with the first microfilms arriving in North American in 2000.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Center for MB Studies (Fresno, California)
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This fonds contains the records of the Russian government department that was responsible for all issues related to the foreign settlers in Russia. The department was charged to ensure the success of the settlers. Of high interest to family historian are the vital records of births, marriages and deaths for the Chortitza Mennonite Colony for much of 1801 and 1802. There are also lists of children vaccinated (see 1809 and 1814 lists). A fair number of files relate to criminal cases or other situations where legal documents were generated due to some type of conflict in the colonies. Other files contain primarily statistical information about the colonies. The files also provide considerable information about how the Office of Guardianship governed the colonies.
The content is organized chronologically with file descriptions listed in eight (8) separate finding aids called inventories (i.e. Inventories no. 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8).
See "Fund 6 Overview chart" linked with this description and "Finding Aid Links" to inventory file lists and indexes.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- French
- German
- Russian
Script of material
- Cyrillic
- Gothic
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
File lists, file abstracts and frame by frame descriptions for selected files related to Mennonite content. Links to Inventory File Lists: Inventory 1 (1799-1841) 14 rolls of microfilm, 4 CD ROM disks and 6 DVD disks. Inventory 2 (1847-1852) 5 rolls of microfilm. Place Index. Name Index. Inventory 3 (1852-1856) 4 rolls of microfilm. Name Index. Inventory 4 (part 1) (1856-1877) 7 rolls of microfilm. Place Index. Name Index. Inventory 4 (part 2) (1856-1877) 1 roll of microfilm. Place Index. Name Index. Inventory 5 (part 1) (1819-1876) 2 rolls of microfilm. Name Index. Inventory 5 (part 2) 6, 7, 8 and 1a (1800-1871) 2 CD ROM disks. Place Index. Name Index.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Odessa Region State Archive
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Acc. Nos. 2000-152, 2001-121, 2003-016, 2003-131, 2003-132, 2006-051, 2011-023
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Digital object metadata
Filename
Fund_6_Overview_Chart.jpg
Latitude
Longitude
Media type
Image
Mime-type
image/jpeg