Centralne Archiwum Wojskowe

The Central Military Archive came into existence by the Circular no 381 of War Ministry, published in the “Dziennik Rozkazów” (The Journal of Daily Orders) no 22 from December 19, 1918. It was part of the Military Historical Institute, subordinated to the General Staff of the Polish Army. In 1927 the archive was renamed Military Archive and excluded from the institute. The seat of the archive since 1920 was one of the forts (Fort Legionów) of Warsaw Citadel. After the outbreak of World War II the most important records were evacuated to Romania, and then to Great Britain. The rest of Polish military archival holdings was placed by German authorities in Gdynia. In 1944 part of these records (about 5000 running meters) was evacuated to Potsdam and has burnt there during the bombing in April 1945. The rest of Gdynia holdings (about 10 000 running meters) was taken by Soviet authorities. In 1964 Soviet Union returned about 400 running meters of Polish military records. The Central Military Archive was created for the second time by the order of the Supreme Command of Polish Armed Forces from August 5, 1945. The main seat of the archive was in Gdańsk-Oliwa, where the rich collection of German documents was found and taken over. In 1951 the archive was relocated to Warsaw and placed in Fort Sokolnickiego. In 1972 the archive obtained the new building in Rembertów, at the ourtskirts of Warsaw, in the complex of military institutions.

Nowadays, The Central Military Archive and subordinate archives are working on the ground of the ordinances of the Minister of National Defense: no 3 from February 2, 2005 and no 5 from March 3, 2005.

In 1972 the Central Military Archive obtained its present building in Rembertów, at the ourtskirts of Warsaw, in the complex of military institutions. In 2011 work began on the renovation and extention of the building.

The Central Military Archive possesses 1 324 977 units, which makes 11 651 running meters (as for December 31, 2007). There holdings are divided into 10 groups of collections: Group I: Archival materials from years 1908-1939 (344 collections). Group II: Archival materials from years of World War II (38 collections). This group contains records of Polish army units taking part in 1939 campaign, testimonies of the participants of armed struggle, documents concerning the Polish underground organizations and German occupation authorities. Group III: Records of Polish Armed Forces from years 1943-1945 (706 collections). Group IV: Records of Polish Armed Forces from years 1945-1968 (89 collections). Group V: Holdings of Military Archival Commission (183 collections). This group consists of copies made in the years 1992-1997 of records from the archives of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania, concerning the Poles in former Soviet Union during the World War II . Group VI: Personal Records. Group VII: Photographical Collection. Group VIII: Cartographical Collection. Group IX: Regulations and Instructions Collection. Group X: Unorganized Records of Polish Armed Forces 1943-2002.