ARHIVSKI VJESNIK 42. (ZAGREB, 1999.)

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M. Kehrig, The position of military archives in the frame of archival service Independence or integration?, Arh. vjesn., god. 42 (1999), str. 113-128 therefore have a most interesting form of organisation of the military archives within the state archival system, in that the military archives belong both organisationally and professionally to the Federal Archives and therefore within the competence of the Ministry to which they are answerable, but the Minister for Defence has been granted the wherewithal, both materially and in terms of personnel, to ensure the best framework for the discharge of the military obligations. The military archives in the Federal Republic of Germany are, therefore, firmly integrated into the Federal Archives, both professionally and organisationally, with their director exercising a central role with regard to the mutual interests of both the Federal Archives and the Ministry of Defence. This agreement has been in place for 20 years, and I can say that the solution has worked well, with the exception of a few minor skirmishes between the parties. The demands of the professional German archivists are met insofar as the archival records of the entire federal administration are in their hands. You will see that the situation in Sweden and Germany is very similar, and as far as I can see also in Norway and Denmark, whereas in Finland the War Archive belongs within the competence of the Ministry of Defence. Let me now briefly turn my attention to those state archives in which the organisational integration of the military records show no particular peculiarities. Let me begin with Switzerland. In accordance with the conditions laid down in the Swiss Federal Archive Law the Ministry of Defence passes its entire paper, photographic and sound records to the Swiss Federal Archives when they are no longer required for current administration. Unclassified records are subject to a 30-year closure period and anyone wishing to use them within his time needs the permission of the Chief of the Confederate Military Historical Service, who is also Chief of the famous Military Library in Berne. The military archives as a whole have achieved such significance for the Swiss Army leadership against the background of modern technical developments, particularly digitised documentation, that for the first time an Archives Deputy is part of the Army Staff. As I have heard from Swiss colleagues, the provisions of the Federal Archive Law with regard to the military function without notable problems. I believe that this also has something to do with the organically developed legal provisions of the Swiss Federal Constitution, which also enshrine a cantonal responsibility for the military, with cantonal regiments. Problems are also avoided in the Swiss confederation because the majority of men perform their military service and, in the case of Militia Officers, are often hold positions in the state, economic and financial institutions. It is a similar picture in Austria. All of us are familiar with the famous Austrian War Archives, which for many years was housed in the Stiftsgasse and since 1919 has been part of the Austrian State Archives. In the War Archive one finds the re124