"Bo¿ena Kumor-Gomu³ka, Polonica in the Chief State Archive of Rheinland-Westfallen in Düsseldorf (Nordrhein-Westfallen Hauptstaatsarchiv). The service trip to the German Archives accomplished within the project “Reconstitution of the Memory of Poland” was focused on the identification of polonica related to the research on the Polish economic emigration to Rheinland-Westfallen and exploring a possibility to make the use of archival materials pertaining to Poland in a broader context. Specific stages of the query covered the search through the holdings according to a previously assumed sequence: first stage of the query (December, 2003) focused on materials gathered in the Division (Abt.) 2, most interesting as to the time and subject, i.e. archival materials since 1815. The aim of the second stage of the query (September–October, 2004) was to analyse the fonds contained in Abt. 3 and Abt. 4. During the third stage of the research, archival fonds belonging to the above divisions were analysed, previously qualified as of secondary or supplementary importance. To a significant extent, the identification of polonica turned out to be successful. The holdings of the Archives (HSTAD), of 88 running kilometres, the overall number of 448 fonds, sub-fonds, series and sub-series were analysed, of which 123 were selected to further research as containing polonica. Basically, the query was conducted on the level of archival inventories. In the case of vague inventory data, merely suggesting the existence of Poland-related materials, the successful use was often made of selected units, conducting the query on the level of both inventories and archival holdings. The most numerous polonica related to the basic subject of Polish economic emigration as well as other archival materials bringing light on widely perceived evidences of Polish presence in the area of Rheinland- -Westfallen were identified in the vast fonds of Dusseldorf, Koln and Aachen Regierung, with their majority in Dusseldorf Regierung. Further fonds with a significant representation of polonica were the fonds of County Starosties (Landratsämter), Police Presidia (Polizeipräsidien) and Mining Authorities (Bergämter). Polish themes were also identified in a group of court records, in particular, the fonds of Supreme National Courts (Oberlandesgerichte) and Public Prosecutor's Office (Staatsanwaltschaften). Subsequently, an abundance of polonica were found in the following group of fonds: Supreme State Authorities, Supreme National Offices and Institutions (Oberste Landesorgane, Landesoberbehörden und Einrichtungen). Chronologically later polonica, that is those originating since the time of the period of the national socialism until post-war times, show a diversity of subjects. They are represented by numerous fonds gathered in the following subject groups: National Socialism. Economic Organisations and Transitory Authorities (NS Wirtschaftsorganisationen und Übergangsbehörden), Police and Security Offices (Polizei- und Sicherheitseinstellen), Social Welfare and Social Affairs (Wohlfart und Soziales), Head Municipal Associations (Kommunale Spitzenverbände), NSDAP and National-Socialist Associations (NSDAP- und NS-Verbände), Refugees, Exiles and DPs (Flüchtlinge, Vertriebene, Evakuirte), Collections of Materials to Contemporary History (Zeitgeschichtiche Sammlungen) and Posthumous Papers (Nachlässe). Positive results were also achieved in the analysis of photographic resources of extensive archives of images (Bildarchiv). Division I (Altes Archiv) contained a limited number of fonds with polonica, yet those existing were of considerable interest due to their subjective value. Fonds selected for further registration were gathered in the following groups: Old System of Power (Ancien régime) and Maps and Drawings (Karten und Abbildungen). Particular attention should be drawn to the maps of individual parts of Silesia preserved in HSTAD holdings, as well as to maps related to the territories of entire Poland in its historical borders."

Źródło: Archeion, t. 109