Influence of the Riga Peace Treaty on the fate of the Belarusian archives

  • Michail F. Shumeiko Belarusian State University, 4 Niezaliežnasci Avenue, Minsk 220030, Belarus
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33581/2520-6338-2021-2-17-28

Abstract

The author investigated the history of the development of the main provisions of the XI article of the Riga Peace Treaty, which regulated the delimitation of archives between the contracting parties. They were extremely unfavourably formulated for the Belarusian-Russian-Ukrainian side both because of the defeat of the Red Army in the Polish-Soviet war, and because of the internal problems that arose in Russia, the most important of which was the uprising in Kronstadt in February – March 1921. This article reveals the role of the future first rector of the Belarusian State University V. I. Picheta, who worked as the chief inspector of the Glavarchive of the RSFSR and took part in the peace negotiations in Riga in the fall of 1920 as an expert. The author comes to the conclusion that in the course of the implementation of the provisions of the XI article of the treaty, the Belarusian archives suffered significant losses. This explains the so-called «archival sabotage» that took place, the essence of which was to show the Polish side as non-existent certain archival complexes that were subject to transfer to Poland under the terms of the treaty.

Author Biography

Michail F. Shumeiko, Belarusian State University, 4 Niezaliežnasci Avenue, Minsk 220030, Belarus

PhD (history), docent; professor at the department of source studies, faculty of history

References

  1. Borovskaya ON. Sovetsko-pol’skie peregovory 1918–1921 gg. i ikh vliyanie na reshenie belorusskogo voprosa [Soviet-Polish negotiations 1918–1921 and their influence on the solution of the Belarusian issue]. Moscow: Algoritm; 2018. 285 p. Russian.
  2. Belarusian State University. Trudy Belorusskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta v Minske. Tom 1. Minsk: Gosizdat Belorussii; 1922. 218 p. Russian.
  3. Izyumov AF. [At the sentry post]. In: Braudo AI. Ocherki i vospominaniya [Essays and memories]. Paris: Circle of Russian-Jewish intelligentsia in Paris; 1937. p. 135–136. Russian.
  4. Izyumov AF. [Cultural treasures of Russia and the requirements of Poland]. In: Yashchenko AS, editor. Novaya russkaya kniga. Vypusk 9 [New Russian book. Issue 9]. Berlin: Izdatel’stvo I. P. Ladyzhnikova; 1922. p. 27–28.
  5. Shumeiko MF, compiler. Pervaya Vsebelorusskaya konferentsiya arkhivnykh rabotnikov, 12–15 maya 1924 g.: dokumenty i materialy [The first all-Belarusian conference of archival workers, 1924 May 12–15: documents and materials]. Minsk: Belarusian Scientific Research Institute of Documentation and Archival Affairs; 1999. 148 p. Russian.
  6. Kruglov VN, Tikhonov VV. [«Istoriya belorusskogo naroda dovol’no svoeobrazna»: doklad V. I. Pichety «25-letie sozdaniya Belorusskoi SSR»]. Istoricheskii arkhiv. 2016;3:32–55. Russian.
  7. Picheta UI. [Polish-Soviet relations and the Riga Peace Treaty]. Polymia. 1928;4–6.
  8. Mal’dzis AV, editor. Vjartanne. Dakumenty i arhiwnyja matjeryjaly pa prablemah poshuku i vjartannja nacyjanal’nyh kashtownascej, jakija znahodzjacca za mezhami Rjespubliki Belarus’ [Return. Documents and archival materials on the problems of search and return of national values outside the Republic of Belarus]. Minsk: Belaruski fond kul’tury; 1992. 256 s. Belarusian.
  9. Shumeiko MF. Sobrat’ rasseyannoe. O restitutsii belorusskikh arkhivov v proshlom i nastoyashchem [Collect the scattered. Restitution of Belarusian archives in the past and present]. Minsk: Belarusian Scientific Research Institute of Documentation and Archival Affairs; 1997. 155 p. Russian.
  10. Tsaplin VV. For the renewal of archival science in the conditions of the sovereignty of the republics. Otechestvennye arkhivy. 1992;1:29–34. Russian.
  11. Starostin EV. Professor Starostin o zatronutoi problem. Otechestvennye arkhivy. 1992;4:26–27. Russian.
  12. Starostin EV. The Riga Peace Treaty of 1921: problems of «archival restitution». Studii’ z arhivnoi’ spravy ta dokumentoznavstva. 2003;9:163–166. Russian.
  13. Matelski D. Grabież i restytucja polskich dóbr kultury: od czasów nowożytnych do współczesnych. Tomek 1. Krakow: Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Sztuk Pięknych; 2006. 676 s.
  14. Stjepnjak U. [Materials on the history of Belarus in the documents of the Main Archive of Ancient Acts in Warsaw]. In: Tjezisy Mizhnarodnaj navukova-tjearjetychnaj kanferjencyi «Arhivaznawstva, krynicaznawstva, gistaryjagrafija Belarusi: stan i perspektyvy»; 1–2 snezhnja 1993 g.; Minsk, Belarus’. Chast’ 1 [Abstracts of the International scientific and theoretical conference «Archival Studies, source studies, historiography of Belarus: status and prospects»; 1993 December 1–2; Minsk, Belarus. Part 1]. Minsk: Belarusian Scientific Research Institute of Documentation and Archival Affairs; 1993. p. 79–89. Belarusian.
  15. Shumeiko MF. Istoricheskie i pravovye aspekty restitutsii belorusskikh arkhivov [Historical and legal aspects of the restitution of Belarusian archives]. Minsk: Belorusskii nauchno-issledovatel’skii institut dokumentovedeniya i arkhivnogo dela; 2013. 269 p. Russian.
  16. Shumeiko MF. V. I. Picheta as an expert on archives in 1920–1947. Otechestvennye arkhivy. 2014;1:3–14. Russian.
  17. USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Dokumenty vneshnei politiki SSSR. Tom 3. 1 iyulya 1920 g. – 18 marta 1921 g. [Documents of the foreign policy of the USSR. Volume 3. 1920 Jule 1 – 1921 March 18]. Belov GA, Garmash ES, Maiorov SM, Miller AF, Sadchikov IV, Struchkov AA, editors. Moscow: Gospolitizdat; 1959. 702 p.
  18. Shmidt SO, editor. Akademik S. F. Platonov. Perepiska s istorikami [Academician S. F. Platonov. Correspondence with historians]. Moscow: Nauka; 2003. 2 volumes. Russian.
  19. Gernovich TD. [Memorandum of M. K. Lubavsky «On the state of Russian historical science in connection with the allocation of archives to Poland» (no earlier than 1921 May 11)]. In: Rybakow Ja, editor. Minulae i suchasnasc’: arhivy w sistjeme gumanitarnyh vedaw. Matjeryjaly Mizhnarodnaj navukovaj kanferjencyi, prysvechanaj 100-goddzju Vicebskaj vuchonaj arhiwnaj kamisii; 20 maja 2009 g.; Minsk, Belarus’ [Past and present: archives in the system of humanities. Proceedings of the International scientific conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Vitebsk scientific archival commission; 2009 May 20; Minsk, Belarus]. Minsk: Belarusian Scientific Research Institute of Documentation and Archival Affairs; 2010. p. 198–202. Russian.
  20. Hodzin SM, Shumejka MF, Janowski AA, compilers. Pamjac’ i slava. Pershy rjektar Belaruskaga dzjarzhawnaga universitjeta – Uladzimir Ivanavich Pichjeta [Memory and glory. The first rector of the Belarusian State University – Vladimir Ivanovich Picheta]. Ablamejka SU, editor. Minsk: Belarusian State University; 2011. 375 p. Belarusian.
  21. Vestnik Vremennogo pravitel’stva. 1917 March 16;10(56). Russian.
  22. Vestnik Vremennogo pravitel’stva. 1917 March 17;11(57). Russian.
  23. Obichkin GD, Valk SN, editors. Dekrety Sovetskoi vlasti. Tom 1 [Decrees of the Soviet government. Volume 1]. Moscow: Gospolitizdat; 1957. 625 p. Russian.
  24. Smolko V. Pagibel’ starasvedchyny [The destruction of antiquity]. Chasopis Ministjerstva Belaruskih spraw. 1919;1: 8–11. Belarusian.
  25. Kopylova ON, editor. Arhivy i vlast’. Pervoe poslerevoljucionnoe desjatiletie. Protokoly i zhurnaly zasedanij rukovodjashhih organov upravlenija arhivnoj otrasl’ju za 1918–1928 gg. Sbornik dokumentov. Tom. 1. 1918–1920 gg. [Archives and power. The first post-revolutionary decade. Minutes and journals of meetings of the governing bodies of the archival industry for 1918–1928. Collection of documents. Tom. 1. 1918–1920]. Moscow: Kuchkovo pole; 2018. 1040 p. Russian.
  26. Mihnjuk UM, Rakashjevich UK, Falej JaS, Sharapa AV, Shupa SA, compilers. Zneshnjaja palityka Belarusi. Tom 1 (1917–1922) [Foreign policy of Belarus. Volume 1 (1917–1922)]. Minsk: Belarusian Scientific Research Institute of Documentation and Archival Affairs; 1997. 398 p. Belarusian.
  27. Khrenov IA, Gonserovskaya-Grabovskaya N, editors. Dokumenty i materialy po istorii sovetsko-pol’skikh otnoshenii. Tom 3 [Documents and materials on the history of Soviet-Polish relations. Volume 3]. Moscow: Nauka; 1965. 608 p. Russian.
  28. Zhumar’ SV, Shumeiko MF, compilers. Iz istorii arkhivov v Belarusi (1860-e gg. – 1960 g.): dokumenty i materialy [From the history of archives in Belarus (1860s – 1960): documents and materials]. Minsk: Belarusian Scientific Research Institute of Documentation and Archival Affairs; 2015. 438 p. Russian.
  29. Smolich A, editor. Pracy Pershaga z’ezdu das’ledchykaw belaruskae arhjeoljogii i arhjeografii 17–18 studzenja 1926 godu [Proceedings of the First congress of researchers of Belarusian archeology and archaeography 1926 January 17–18]. Minsk: Institute of Belarusian Culture; 1926. 86 p. Belarusian.
  30. [Meet me at the ancient storage]. Rodina. 1994;12:68–72. Russian.
  31. Tsaplin VV. [On the ownership of archival documents in diplomatic acts of pre-revolutionary and Soviet Russia]. Otechestvennye arkhivy. 1992;4:20–26. Russian.
Published
2021-05-19
Keywords: Polish-Soviet war, Riga Peace Treaty, XI article, Glavarchive of the RSFSR, Belarusian archives, V. I. Picheta, «archival sabotage»
Supporting Agencies The article was prepared as part of the implementation of the task of state programs of scientific research for 2021–2025.
How to Cite
Shumeiko M. F. Influence of the Riga Peace Treaty on the fate of the Belarusian archives // Journal of the Belarusian State University. History. 2021. 2. PP. 17-28.
Issue
No 2 (2021): Journal of the Belarusian State University. History
Section
Special Topic Section

Copyright (c) 2021 Journal of the Belarusian State University. History

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

The authors who are published in this journal agree to the following:

  1. The authors retain copyright on the work and provide the journal with the right of first publication of the work on condition of license Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial. 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).
  2. The authors retain the right to enter into certain contractual agreements relating to the non-exclusive distribution of the published version of the work (e.g. post it on the institutional repository, publication in the book), with the reference to its original publication in this journal.
  3. The authors have the right to post their work on the Internet (e.g. on the institutional store or personal website) prior to and during the review process, conducted by the journal, as this may lead to a productive discussion and a large number of references to this work. (See The Effect of Open Access.)