Зональный государственный архив в городе Полоцке

The Archives was established in September 1924 as the Polotsk Okrug Division of the Central Archives of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR).

In 1927 the division was made the okrug archive.

With the liquidation of the okrug territorial division in 1930 the Polotsk Okrug Archives was liquidated, and its holdings were transferred to the Vitebsk Division of the Central Archives of the BSSR.

In 1937 a district state archives was established in Polotsk.

During the Second World War the archives was destroyed.

In January 1945, in Polotsk, then centre of the Polotsk Region, a regional state archives was established, which was located in the building of St. Sophia's Cathedral from 1949.

On April 14, 1954, following the liquidation of the Polotsk Region, the regional archives was reorganized as the Polotsk Municipal State Archives, and in 1957 a district state archives was again restored in Polotsk.

On November 11, 1963 the Branch of the State Archives of Vitebsk Region was established in Polotsk on the basis of the abolished Polotsk municipal archives and the abolished Verkhnedvinsk, Lepel, Polotsk, Rossony and Ushachi district archives.

In September 1996, the branch was reorganized as the Zonal State Archives in Polotsk.

Amount of holdings: 2 018 fonds, 329.012 items

Chronological scope: 1918-1941, from 1943 to the present

Geographical coverage: abolished Polotsk and Drisa uezds (districts) of the Vitebsk gubernia (province), abolished Polotsk okrug, Polotsk region, abolished Osveia and Vetrino districts of the abolished Polotsk okrug (later Polotsk region which was also abolished) and later on in the Vitebsk region, Verkhnedvinsk (before 1962 Drisa), Lepel, Polotsk, Rossony and Ushachi districts of the Vitebsk region

Contents: Records of the revolutionary committees and local authorities illustrate the formation and strengthening of Soviet power in the Polotsk region, the creation of the new government, the first steps of Soviet power, the foundation and activity of the village peasants committees and other social units, national and land issues, the formation of the Red Army units, the frontier regime, elections to the local government, referendums, economics, science, culture, health care, sports, public order, international relations, the protection of citizens rights.

The fonds of the district control commissions and workers-&-peasants inspections, municipal and district people's inspection committees contain data on the practices of the people's control inspectors, materials concerning the inspection of various organizations, and the investigation of citizens' claims and inquiries.

The fonds of justice, prosecutor's, courts, notary offices and militia illustrate the work of various legal institutions, the observance of law in the economic sector, the strengthening of law and public order, public tranquility, responsibility for violation of law, judicial assistance to the population, legal defence, and notarial acts, and more.

The fonds of social welfare departments and labour bureaus contain data on the registration, distribution and conservation of labour resources, labour recruitment, and provision of pensions.

The issues of planned economics, the economic and socialist development, and the production specializations are reflected in the fonds of the municipal, district, region and okrug planning commissions.

The issues of financing, crediting, local budget, allocation and expenditure of financial resources, financial and tax policy, pricing and insurance are reflected in the fonds of the town, district and region financing departments, state-run banks, insurance and taxation inspections.

Records of various industrial enterprises and labour collectives illustrate the industrial development, the organization of socialist labour, the increase in production capacities, the output of industrial production and consumer goods, management and planning system, economic incentives, labour protection, accident prevention, industrial sanitation, case studies and professional training.

The fonds of agriculture, forestry and water industry contain data on land tenure and nationalization, the collectivization of agriculture, the organization of agricultural artels, state farms and machine-&-tractor stations, land reclamation, sowing and harvesting campaigns, and forest management.

The issues of construction, architecture, reconstruction, town planning and development are reflected in the fonds of capital construction boards, town and district executive committees, construction-&-mounting boards.

The fonds of trade, catering, supply, purchase and sale institutions contain data on the network of stores and public catering establishments, service and trade, the distribution of marketable stock and supply of goods into the trading network; the organization of agricultural fairs and contests in trades, and more.

The fonds of educational institutions contain data on the organization and work of higher and specialized secondary educational establishments, comprehensive schools, children's homes and kindergartens, factory schools and vocational schools, and cultural establishments.

The development of physical education and sports, the work of sports societies, schools and clubs, holding of sports competitions and mass sports events are represented in records of various sports and physical education institutions.

The development of mass media and the participation of citizens in the discussion of acute political issues and public life in the region are reflected in records of the regional radio committee and newspaper editorial offices.

The issues of medical assistance to the population, preventive health care, children's health, the provision of drugs and medical facilities are reflected in records of health care departments, hospitals, local medical associations, and the children's sanatorium.

The fonds of customs offices contain data on the customs procedures, the transit of local and foreign wares through the border, the construction of customs posts and buildings.

The fonds of the Plenipotentiary of the Council for Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church at the Council of Ministers of the BSSR in the Polotsk Region contains data on the religious communities and cults, churches, prayers houses, and the Orthodox clergy.

There is a collection of personal papers related to the honorary citizens of the town of Polotsk I. I. Deinis, A. M. Lebedeva and P. K. Patsei, the honorary teacher and poet N. P. Ermak, the honorary teachers E. M. Astakhova and I. P. Garbukov, member of the Belarusian Writers' Union Lera Som, the painters V. G. Lukianenko and O. I. Ladisov, the participant of the Second World War I. S. Vilchinski, M. V. Chevernkin and N. N. Pashkevich, the director of the Vremia People's Drama Theatre B. V. Livin, the director of the Piligrim People's Theatre V. P. Nagorny, Professor at the State University of Polotsk A. M. Levin, and more.

The collection of records of social organizations and political parties include records of the Polotsk town organization of the Belarusian Communist Party and the Polotsk town organization for the protection of consumers, and more.

Gosudarstvennyi arkhiv Vitebskoi oblasti i ego filial v g. Polotske (1917-1941 gg.). Putevoditel. Minsk, 1972.