ARHIVSKI VJESNIK 42. (ZAGREB, 1999.)

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M. Kchrig, The position of military archives in the frame of archival service Independence or integration?, Arh. vjesn., god. 42 (1999), str. 113-128 1794, which, incidentally, is frequently referred to in Germany as the Declaration of Archival Human Rights, the three French armed services (not to speak of other military organisations with their own archival systems) have issued regulations which have been signed by the Chief of the respective armed service. These direct that all records (written, pictorial and film as well as digital records) are to be deposited in the military archives, notwithstanding special regulations for photographs and film. Those who have visited the military archives in the Chateau de Vincennes are deeply impressed by the archival professionalism, the excellent technical backup, the reliable work of archivists and researchers, the grandiose architecture and the ambience, which can only inspire the work of every visitor. To conclude, we can state with regard to the French military archives: On the principle of their organisational integration into the competency of the French Ministry of Defence, the military archives are responsible to the Chiefs of the General Staff of the respective armed services, and define themselves as an auxiliary of the French Ministry of Defence in its function as a part of the state administration. They are characterised by military archival professionalism as well as by a harmonious cooperation with the National Archive in Paris. Their holdings are available to all by law, unless other regulations apply. The French military archives achieve in their work the organisational unity of research and archival tasks. The Spanish military archives are subordinated to the Ministry of Defence and count as amongst the oldest in Europe. Their origins go back to the mid-16

th century, when it was necessary to produce and retain maps of the European theatres of war and to the rapidly developing organisation of the armies in the field. Similar organisations for the naval and land forces were set up at the same time. Unlike the situation in France, the Spanish military archives are located in several places, namely Madrid, Segovia and Cadiz. This reflects the national development of Spain since the defeat of the Arabs and the unification of Aragon and Castille. The Air Force archive was established in 1940. The three service archives confine themselves to their professional tasks of securing, evaluating, editing and making available the historical sources, whereas the military historical research is left to other military organisations. The work of the military archives is regulated by the 1985 Law on Spanish National Tradition, as there is to date no valid archive law. The coordination of the work of the various military archives is the responsibility of the Directorate of Military Historical Services. The Spanish armed forces have a strong sense of their importance as a pillar of the state, and correspondingly of their role as part of the national memory, a state of affairs equally applicable to their most recent history and to that period of Spanish history when its fleets sailed the world's seas to gain and secure colonies with strong land forces on board. The archive personnel is professionally trained and has access to modern technical equipment. The holdings are accessible un118